Two will face grand jury in connection with melee

One man was shot and a policeman injured after a concert.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Two Youngstown men were bound over to the Trumbull County grand jury on charges stemming from a near-riot at the Eastwood Expo Center.
Two men charged in the same event had their preliminary hearings postponed.
Gerald Hardaway, 23, of Glenwood Avenue, and Anthony M. Caulton, 22, of East Auburndale Avenue, appeared in Niles Municipal Court Wednesday for preliminary hearings and had their cases sent to the county court system. Preliminary hearings for 21-year-old Justin Young, of Brentwood Avenue, Youngstown, and Antoine Tate, 22, of Argo Street, Youngstown, were continued until next week.
Police say the men were involved in a melee that erupted shortly before 1 a.m. April 9. Reports say patrons at a rap concert's after-party began fighting inside the Center Stage Bar and Grille, which is adjacent to the expo center, and continued fighting in the parking lot after the lounge was evacuated.
Several shots were fired into the crowd gathered outside, and a police officer was injured during the fracas.
Charges
Hardaway, who is charged with felonious assault and resisting arrest, is accused of striking a Niles policeman in the head and face.
Police said Caulton, who is charged with escape and disorderly conduct, was handcuffed and in the back of a cruiser on the disorderly conduct charge when someone opened the vehicle door and he walked away. Police nabbed him a short time later and added the felony escape charge.
Young and Tate are both charged with carrying a concealed weapon, while Young also faces a felonious assault charge and Tate is additionally charged with complicity to felonious assault.
Officers say Young and Tate were in a vehicle together when several shots were fired into the crowd gathered outside. Wounded during the shooting was 28-year-old Derrick Talley of Warren, who was hit in the arm.
slshaulis@vindy.com