Felony charges follow chase

What callers thought was a pipe or a bat was actually a rifle, police said.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- A city man has a Monday morning court hearing on several felony charges after he led police on a 15-minute chase through Trumbull County.
Jesse Mitchell, 20, of Barcelona Road, remains in the city jail pending his arraignment in Niles Municipal Court. Police charged him with two counts each of felonious assault and receiving stolen property, and one count each of fleeing and eluding, discharging a firearm within the city limits, driving under suspension and reckless operation. Police say other charges could be filed later.
How it unfolded
Police were initially called to a disturbance at the Royal Mall apartment complex on state Route 46 at 9:40 p.m. Friday.
"Callers said there was a man outside waving what they thought was a pipe or a bat," said Niles police Capt. Rob Hinton. "It turned out it was actually a rifle."
Hinton said while Officers Todd Mobley and Dan Myers were en route to the complex, Mitchell reportedly fired a few shots into the air, then threatened to come back and harm several people. No one was injured by gunfire, police said.
"When the officers arrived, he had entered a truck and tried to strike the two cruisers," Hinton said.
Officers learned the truck had been reported stolen last week, and noted it contained property reported stolen to Howland Township police earlier that evening from two places.
Chase begins
Hinton said Mitchell drove the truck, which also contained five other people, along state Route 46 and turned eastbound onto state Route 82, when the chase reached speeds between 55 and 70 mph.
Officers from Vienna Township and the Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted in the chase, Hinton said, which ended after Brookfield police placed "stop sticks" across the road inside their township. The devices flattened the truck's tires.
Once the vehicle stopped, police from Sharon, Pa., brought in a canine unit to search the vehicle.
Police charged one passenger, 19-year-old Nicholas Robison of Royal Mall, Niles, with a felony count of receiving stolen property. He also remains in the city jail and will appear in court Monday. No charges were filed against the other passengers.
slshaulis@vindy.com