Tuesday, March 4, 2003
Trumbull rules deathof woman a homicide
WARREN -- The Trumbull County Coroner's office has ruled the death of a 26-year-old Bloomfield woman a homicide. Patricia Gibbs was found Feb. 2 at a friend's home on state Route 45 in Bristol. She had been shot once in the neck, a sheriff's official said.
At the time of her death, the department was not sure whether her wound was self-inflicted. A coroner's official, however, determined Tuesday that it was not.
The sheriff's department is investigating, and no arrests have been made.
New police chief
HUBBARD -- Sgt. Martin Kanetsky will be sworn in as the new police chief at 6 p.m. March 5 in council chambers.
Kanetsky will take over for Chief Raymond Moffitt, who retired in December. Sgt. Kenneth Oyler served as acting chief in the interim.
Big Lots store robbed
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Big Lots store on East Midlothian Boulevard was held up Tuesday by a man who approached the service counter, demanded money and opened his jacket, saying he had a gun, an employee told police.
The robber instructed the employee to put the money into a plastic store bag, which she did. The suspect is a white man in his 30s, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 150 pounds with light brown hair. He ran out with about $170, reports show.
Traficant's debt
CLEVELAND -- A federal judge has ordered the Wright Patman Congressional Federal Credit Union to send to the U.S. Clerk of Courts the $402.38 in the savings account of former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.
The credit union is just one of the sources the government has tapped in its effort to collect the imprisoned ex-congressman's $150,000 fine, handed down when U.S. District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells sentenced him to eight years in prison on racketeering and tax convictions. The government's action is called a writ of garnishment. Judge Wells' order for payment notes that Traficant did not request a hearing to determine if any of the cash was exempt.
The credit union is a member-owned, nonprofit financial cooperative that serves the House and other select employee groups.
Fatal I-80 accident
MERCER, Pa.-- State police said a Steger, Ill., motorist was killed when his car collided with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 80 in East Lackawannock Township.
Robert L. Bladek, 25, was driving west between Mercer and West Middlesex when he lost control of his car and it hit the guardrail. Police said his car spun out of control into the middle of the road and was hit by a westbound rig driven by Thomas M. McGonigal, 47, of Clearfield, Pa. Both vehicles ran into the median.
Bladek was pronounced dead at the scene. McGonigal was treated at United Community Hospital in Grove City.
Firearms charge
SHARON, Pa. -- A Wheatland, Pa., man was in Mercer County Jail this morning on a felony charge of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure.
Sharon police Capt. Mike Menster said Brookfield, Ohio, police recently arrested Arthur Paige Jr., 27, of Fleetwood Court on a warrant issued by Sharon police. The charge stems from Nov. 29, police said, when Paige went to a former girlfriend's house in the 600 block of Oakland Ave. about 3 a.m. When she wouldn't admit him, he made threats via cell phone and then fired a handgun into the dwelling, police said. No one was injured.
Menster said Paige is also charged with making terroristic threats and attempting to recklessly harm another person, both misdemeanors, police said.
Playing with matches
YOUNGSTOWN -- A woman was treated at St. Elizabeth Health Center after she suffered smoke inhalation in a house fire caused by her 5-year-old son's playing with matches, fire officials said.
Tiffany Pete was taken to the hospital Tuesday evening after the 5:55 p.m. fire, in which the boy ignited bedding in an upstairs front bedroom at 2923 Southern Blvd. Her 2-year-old son also was in the house. Damage was estimated at $4,500.