Assault on police officer

Assault on police officer
GIRARD -- Garry Robbins, 43, of Norwood Avenue, Youngstown, has been bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury on felony charges of assault, aggravated robbery, resisting arrest and obstructing official business in the shooting of an off-duty Liberty Township police officer. A misdemeanor charge of criminal trespassing will be handled in Girard Municipal Court after the grand jury proceedings. Robbins, represented by Attorney J. Gerald Ingram, waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Girard Municipal Court on Wednesday. Robbins is accused of leaving the officer shot last week after the officer's gun discharged during a struggle with Robbins. Police are still waiting for results of a gunshot residue test performed on Robbins' hands. Police said Robbins was breaking into a van owned by the officer when the struggle began.
Truck crash kills driver
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- James J. Spraker, 26, of Camillus, N.Y., was killed as his tractor trailer rolled over along Interstate 79 in Springfield Township, authorities said. A passenger, Adrian Jacobs, 33, of Auburn, N.Y., who was asleep in a sleeper compartment, was treated for moderate injuries at Grove City Medical Center. Pennsylvania State Police said Spraker was southbound when the truck veered off into the median at 2:49 a.m. Wednesday. The truck rolled onto its left side, then crashed into a guardrail, ejecting Spraker.
Belmont Ave. robbery
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Dairy Queen, 2155 Belmont Ave., was robbed at gunpoint around 10:40 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Afterward, the robber ran outside, where an accomplice had waited, and both ran east toward Guadalupe Avenue, police said.
New CSB director hired
WARREN -- The Trumbull County Children's Services Board has officially hired Marcia Tiger to be the next executive director of the agency, effective Sept. 1. At its meeting Tuesday, the board also set her base salary at $94,000 per year with an employment agreement to be formalized by the board at a later meeting. Bob Kubiak, who has served as executive director since 1999, will be leaving sometime after Sept. 1.
Pipe bomb materials
STRUTHERS -- A Poland Township man was arraigned in municipal court here Wednesday on a charge of felony possession of pipe bomb materials. Scott Volovar, 29, a part-time Western Reserve Joint Fire District firefighter, was arrested at his residence on Greystone, on July 9 by Poland Township police. Volovar pleaded innocent to the charge. His preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday.
Poland tax levy reading
POLAND -- Village council approved a second reading of a tax levy that would generate an additional $1 million for police salaries and expenses over the next five years at its session earlier this week. If council passes a third and final reading at its Aug. 1 meeting, the levy would appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
Widow to take Fifth
AKRON -- Donna Moonda doesn't want to testify before a jury, and attorneys representing the man accused of killing her husband agree. Mrs. Moonda has told the court through her attorney that she will invoke her constitutional right not to incriminate herself if called to testify in next week's trial of Damian Bradford. Bradford is accused of shooting Dr. Gulam Moonda along side of the Ohio Turnpike in May 2005. Prosecutors contend Mrs. Moonda and Bradford were lovers. "It is ... the government's theory that Donna Moonda conspired with somebody to have her husband killed. ... The impact of ... [her] asserting this right in front of a jury would be catastrophic to the defendant," wrote Bradford's attorneys in a brief.
Elm Road store robbed
HOWLAND -- No one was hurt when a gunman robbed the Check Into Cash store, 3219 Elm Road, of an undisclosed amount of cash Wednesday morning, police said. The robber escaped on foot.