MUNICIPAL COURT Baggy pants are escapee's downfall

The injured man also faces sentencing in federal court in August.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- If 312-pound Demetrus Rogers hadn't tripped on his baggy pants during an all-out sprint from cops in municipal court, he may not have broken his right ankle tumbling down the steps.
Rogers -- with Patrolmen George Bayer and John Hull in pursuit -- bolted from the hallway outside Judge Robert P. Milich's courtroom Thursday when told he was under arrest for failure to appear on time for sentencing on a driving under suspension conviction. Rogers' name was called at 10:05 a.m.; he and his mother showed up around 10:15, after the warrant was signed by the judge.
Rogers' run took him past the Clerk of Court office on the second floor of city hall. One witness said she saw him "fly by."
Bayer and Hull said they saw Rogers' pants slide down around his buttocks as he ran on the marble floor and down the steps toward the first floor of city hall. His right foot tripped over the sagging baggy pants before he could pull them up and the ankle and shin bones broke as he rounded the bend on the steps.
Rogers, unable to make good on his getaway, collapsed on the first floor steps, just a few feet from the elevators and mayor's office. Blood dripped on the marble floor from his twisted right foot as he waited for an ambulance crew.
Rogers' mother called to him from the floor above, wondering who "pushed" him. The 34-year-old Arch Street man just moaned and cradled his head in his right hand.
Police reports describe Rogers as 6 foot 1 inch and 312 pounds.
Rogers was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center for surgery. Lt. William Powell said the hospital has been asked to notify police when Rogers is released so that he can be arrested.
Had Rogers not run, he would have been booked into the Mahoning County jail overnight and arraigned via video today for failure to appear for sentencing. The judge also could have withdrawn the warrant and proceeded with the sentencing.
Rogers' lawyer, Walter Ritchie, said he was in court at 10:05, when the judge issued the warrant, then left without seeing his client. Ritchie said he'd spoken to Rogers by phone and had expected his client to be in court on time.
Charges
When stopped by police in January, Rogers was charged with driving under suspension, expired license plate, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon under disability (based on a prior drug conviction). At the time, he had two DUS cases pending in municipal court.
Records show Rogers was arrested Dec. 9, 2003, on charges of DUS and unauthorized use of a license plate and arrested again on Dec. 29, 2003, on charges of DUS and operating without license plates.
The gun case was pursued in federal court and he pleaded guilty last month. Sentencing is set for Aug. 13 in Cleveland. He faces at least five years in prison.
In a plea agreement in municipal court, one DUS was dismissed and he pleaded no contest to the second. He faces up to six months in jail when sentenced.
The third DUS is set for trial next Friday.
In yet another case, Rogers was arraigned in municipal court this week on a falsification charge that stemmed from an arrest a week ago. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court next Friday.
Last week, another man fled from Judge Milich's court and caused a brief panic when he reached the first floor of city hall and knocked over the metal detector on his way out. Police caught that man outside.
meade@vindy.com