Rape trial begins

Rape trial begins
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jury selection began Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for a Poland man facing trial on 12 counts of rape.
Authorities say David Dale Byers frequently had sex with a 10-year-old girl from August 2000 through July 2001. Each count represents one month during that time.
Court documents say the victim, who knew Byers, told authorities that Byers raped her almost daily, sometimes making her dress provocatively and drink alcoholic beverages.
Sentenced to three years
YOUNGSTOWN -- Kevin Daniels, 33, of New Road, Austintown, was sentenced to three years in prison Monday by Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for knocking down an elderly woman and stealing her purse.
Court records say Daniels hit a 68-year-old woman in the back of her head, knocking her to the ground as she walked out of the Giant Eagle grocery store on Boardman-Canfield Road in December 2002. Daniels ran off with her purse, which contained some $400.
Restroom peeker sought
BOARDMAN -- Township police are hoping to soon learn the identity of a man accused of peeking at a woman using the restroom inside the Best Buy store on Boardman-Poland Road. According to police, the 22-year-old woman, an employee at the store, went to the restroom at 5 p.m. Sunday. A man, who police believe saw her enter the restroom, went in a short time later. Police said the woman, while in a restroom stall, looked up and noticed a man looking down at her from over the partition separating restroom stalls.
According to police the woman screamed and the man ran out of the store but was captured on closed-circuit video surveillance.
Politics in Struthers
STRUTHERS -- Council President Danny Thomas Jr. filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission regarding a flier distributed by his opponent, Robert D. Carcelli. The Carcelli flier states: "Did you know that my opponent, Dan Thomas, refuses to pledge our country's flag at council meetings?"
In a letter Monday to the commission, Thomas writes that the claim is "a total falsehood," and was "made to inflame voters' passions against me for being unpatriotic."
Counselor raped
YOUNGSTOWN -- A counselor at Lincoln Place on East Midlothian Boulevard told police she was sexually attacked Monday night at the facility by a 16-year-old boy. The boy ran and was caught near Homestead Park. He was taken to the juvenile justice center to face charges of rape and assault, police said. Lincoln Place is a residential facility for youths who have been referred there by juvenile courts and children services boards. The counselor told police she was in a hallway near the file room about 9:15 p.m. when the boy hit her in the face to start the attack.
Home improvement scam
AUSTINTOWN -- A 78-year-old Burkey Road woman reported to township police Monday that a township man who promised to repair her sidewalk stole $140 from her. The woman said she gave him the money to complete the repairs and he never returned, reports say. The man's phone has been disconnected, police said. Her check was cashed Oct. 17, police said.
Child endangering charges
WARREN -- A 27-year-old Girard woman has pleaded innocent to seven counts of child endangering. Vivian Dunkel entered the pleas Monday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. She was secretly indicted on the charges last week. Court officials said Dunkel is accused of locking her 6-year-old son in a closet and causing burn marks on her 3-year-old daughter.
'Sharing Tree' donations
LIBERTY -- A "Sharing Tree" will be on display in the township administration building from Monday to Dec. 10 for residents to help the needy.
Gretchen Reed, a retired Liberty teacher, will tag the tree with age-appropriate items for children and family needs for the holidays.
Residents can take a tag, then drop off the item that matches that tag by Dec. 10.
Reed will wrap the books, toys and clothing and deliver them along with turkeys. Call (330) 759-1315.