Woman charged with falsification is court no-show for second time

AUSTINTOWN -- A woman who is charged with falsely accusing a township police officer of raping her failed to appear in court Monday for the second week in a row.
Judge David D'Apolito of Mahoning County Court here issued a bench warrant last week for the arrest of Charmin Merchant, 34, for failing to appear at a scheduled pretrial hearing June 5.
Merchant's Lancaster, Ohio, bonding company was notified that if she did not show up in court Monday, her $2,000 bond would be forfeited.
Austintown Detective Dan Kosco said he was contacted by Merchant's ex-fianc & eacute; Monday morning, who said Merchant was being treated for an unknown illness at a hospital in Fairfield County.
Kosco contacted the hospital, which confirmed Merchant was there and had been admitted Friday. Merchant's bond has been forfeited.
Kosco said Merchant, of Amanda, Ohio, will be arrested after she is released from the hospital.
Merchant reported to police Feb. 15 that an officer with whom she had had a romantic relationship raped her and hit her Feb. 14 while she was in her hotel room at the Fairfield Inn on North Niles-Canfield Road.
The officer was never charged. Merchant was instead charged with falsification and pleaded innocent at an arraignment March 6.
Kosco said court proceedings could stretch longer because Merchant will probably need a court-appointed attorney upon her release from the hospital.