Arrested in homicide

Arrested in homicide
YOUNGSTOWN -- An arrest has been made in the city's first homicide of the year. Jason Carter, 29, of Carroll Street was taken into custody Friday by members of the Street Crimes Unit and U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. On Jan. 1, the victim, Jamie White, 40, of Shields Road, Boardman, was found around 9 a.m. under the bridge on Salt Springs Road and Bridge Street on the West Side by a man who was walking his dogs. The victim had blood on her neck, chin and chest. Detective Sgt. Rick Alli said Carter's arrest followed an intensive investigation by Detective Sgt. John Kelty, lead detective on the case. Alli said the investigation turned on forensic evidence processed by the department's crime lab.
Campbell house burns
CAMPBELL -- Fire caused an estimated $20,000 worth of damage to a house at 496 Tenney Ave., which had been vacant for about two weeks. The blaze was reported at 12:15 a.m. Friday.
Fire Chief Nick Hrelec said the fire, the cause of which is under investigation, started in a second-floor bedroom. Fire damage was confined to two upstairs bedrooms, but there was smoke and water damage throughout the two-story home, owned by Marie Fagas of Florida. No injuries were reported.
Bridge replacement
BROOKFIELD -- Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday on a project that will replace a bridge carrying Warren-Sharon Road over Yankee Creek just west of Brookfield Avenue. The project will be done in stages, with traffic reduced to one lane and controlled by a temporary traffic light. A.P. O'Horo Co. will be replacing the 1935-vintage bridge for $723,680, and the job is to be completed by this fall. The project is being paid for with state and county funds.
Detour in Goshen Twp.
GOSHEN -- Seacrist Road in Goshen Township, between Pine Lake and Garfield roads, will be closed for bridge deck repairs for five days, beginning Monday, Mahoning County Engineer Richard A. Marsico says. Traffic will be detoured along Pine Lake Road, state Route 534 and Garfield Road.
Traffic crash lawsuit
LISBON -- A Salem woman is seeking in excess of $25,000 in damages in a lawsuit filed this week in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court over a traffic accident July 6, 2002.
Kara L. Zepernick said she suffered permanent neck, shoulder and spine injuries in the accident.
The lawsuit said that her car was struck by a car driven by Christopher A. Webb of Beloit on Case Road in Knox Township.
Assault charges
FARRELL, Pa. -- Anthony V. Gregory, 44, of Hamilton Avenue, and Lawrence L. Owens, 48, of Emerson Avenue are each charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and criminal trespassing. Southwest Mercer County Regional Police said the two beat up a Hamilton Avenue man in his home at 10:21 a.m. Thursday. According to police, the men grabbed the victim by his shirt when he answered their door knock. They punched him several times and Owens hit him with in the head and face with a hammer, police said. The suspects then threatened the man with a gun and hit him with a golf club several times, police said. Owens and Gregory were arrested later on the 900 block of Fruit Avenue. Both were arraigned and are being in held in the Mercer County Jail after failing to each post $250,000 bond. Police said Owens is wanted on a fugitive-from-justice charge in Ohio.
Franklin Twp. grant
SUMMITVILLE -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday it has awarded a $28,600 grant for fire prevention and safety to the Franklin Township Fire Department.
The department will work with the Wayne Township Fire Department, Summitville officials and other groups to benefit approximately 275 area homes with children.
The fire department will provide free smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers to those homes during the "Protect Your Home, Protect Yourself" campaign.
Firefighters will show how to install the detectors and conduct safety demonstrations.
Branda Napper, speaking for the Homeland Security's Office of Grants and Training, said the program is competitive, with about 400 of roughly 3,000 applications being funded.