Woman wins $60,000

Woman wins $60,000
YOUNGSTOWN -- A city woman has claimed half of the $120,000 prize from the Ohio Lottery's Jan. 12 Rolling Cash 5 jackpot. Kathryn A. Riszer won $60,000 for having one of the two winning tickets sold. She filed her claim at the lottery's Youngstown regional office Thursday. After tax withholding, Riszer will receive a check for $42,900. She chose the auto pick feature when buying the ticket at Cornersburg Beverage, 3625 Lynhaven Road. The store receives a $500 bonus for selling one of the winning tickets.
Chase ends in crash
YOUNGSTOWN -- Anthony Mascarella, 17, of Datson Avenue recklessly drove a stolen blue Chrysler Sebring, swerving from side to side on Cordova Avenue, just as 50 to 60 small children left Harding Elementary School nearby, police said. During a police pursuit Thursday afternoon, Mascarella drove through red lights and stop signs before finally losing control and crashing into a concrete pole support at the intersection of Wardle Avenue and Jacobs Road on the East Side. Mascarella was taken to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center to face charges of receiving stolen property (the car), drug abuse (crack cocaine), drug abuse (marijuana in pill form), failure to comply with a police order, no driver's license and reckless operation. His passenger, a 16-year-old Lansdowne Boulevard boy, was also taken to JJC to face a charge of receiving stolen property. A third passenger, a girl, was not caught.
Firefighters save dog
YOUNGSTOWN -- Firefighters rescued a dog at 59 Labelle Ave., where fire broke out at 10:56 a.m. Friday from an electrical problem in the basement, said Capt. Alvin Ware. When firefighters arrived, residents of the home told them the dog was still inside. Firefighters resuscitated the family pet and then took him to an animal hospital, Ware said.
Man shot in break-in
WARREN -- City police are investigating an early Friday shooting at a Charles Avenue Southeast residence and looking for a man who fled through back yards. William H. Orwig, 37, of 484 Charles, reported an aggravated burglary and felonious assault to police at 3:35 a.m. He said someone forced entry through a side door, entered and shot him. The police report noted the projectile somehow traveled through and exited three different areas of his body. Orwig was taken by ambulance to Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
Truck loses part of load
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Himrod Avenue expressway was closed for a short time early Friday when a truck carrying hospital waste lost part of its load around 4:30 a.m., the fire department said. The items spilled were not infectious.
Smoke killed woman
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Dec. 23, 2004, death of Willa "Cookie" Payne, 57, of 1566 Bryson St., was caused by smoke inhalation, the fire department said. Lt. Kevin Johnson said the fire was caused by careless smoking in the house, which did not have an operable smoke detector. The accidental fire was confined to the first-floor dining room.
Falsification charge
YOUNGSTOWN -- Carl E. Frease, 46, of Burbank Avenue identified himself as his brother-in-law, Eric Vimmerstedt, when arrested at 665 McBride St. on the East Side Jan. 5, police said. Frease and two other men were charged with criminal trespass after admitting to police that they were at the Victory housing projects to buy crack cocaine, reports show. The men were issued citations and released at the scene. After an investigation, police determined that Frease used Vimmerstedt's name for the citation. Frease was then charged with falsification and the charge against Vimmerstedt was dismissed. Vimmerstedt, 46, of Brookfield, is an Army staff sergeant whose reserve unit was called up. He is currently stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana, his brother told The Vindicator.