Police charge Canfield man after car is wrecked

YOUNGSTOWN -- William R. Lester, 67, of Leffingwell Road, Canfield, was charged with traffic offenses after being found inside Dickey's bar on North Meridian Road by police who were sent there to check out a wrecked 2004 Hyundai.
The car had heavy damage and a flat tire that appeared to have been driven on enough to tear it up, police said.
Lester, who police described as highly intoxicated, said he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident but was unsure of the location Wednesday morning. Lester told police he was hit from behind somewhere on Interstate 77 or 76, or state Route 11 or Interstate 680, reports show.
Police said Lester was sitting at the bar and drinking when interviewed about the event.
An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper and a city patrolman searched for an accident scene.
The trooper discovered a heavily damaged guardrail on I-680 southbound at the entrance ramp from Meridian.
Some of the guardrail's wooden posts were knocked out of the ground and pieces of a red taillight found at the scene perfectly matched the Hyundai, reports show.
The taillight pieces were taken as evidence.
Lester was charged with failure to maintain reasonable control and failure to stop after an accident.
He was arraigned Thursday in municipal court and will be back in court Oct. 25.