Tuesday, May 23, 2006
One of the three said they had planned to rob a fast-food restaurant, police said.
BOARDMAN -- Police arrested three women on various charges after police responded to a suspicious-vehicle call at Hillman Way.
Arkisha T. Pearce, 26, of West Ravenwood Avenue, Youngstown, was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing official business, drug possession and carrying a concealed weapon, all misdemeanors. There was also a cocaine trafficking warrant for Pearce from the Columbiana County Sheriff's Department.
Vicki L. Rankin, 44, of Hillman Way, was charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and obstructing official business. She also had a warrant from Youngstown police for a traffic offense.
Laquandra L. Underwood, 26, of Willow Court, Youngstown, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a felony.
The call
Police got the call shortly before midnight Monday about a suspicious vehicle. When they arrived, the car backed into another car parked in the lot. When stopped, the driver, Rankin, initially gave police false Social Security numbers.
When talking to police, she told them there was a gun somewhere in the car and that it belonged to one of her two passengers who planned to rob the Burger King on Midlothian Boulevard.
The front passenger, Pearce, initially gave police a false name and birth date. She was carrying duct tape in a bag in her waistband. She ran as police were putting her into a cruiser and was caught about 50 yards away.
Underwood was in the back seat. Police found a loaded revolver on the rear seat under a jacket where she'd been sitting.
They also found a black nylon mask and gloves on the car floor where Pearce had been sitting.
Rankin and Underwood were taken to the police station and Pearce was treated at St. Elizabeth Boardman for scratches.
Police found a plastic bag containing a used crack pipe in the cruiser after their transport that they believe was placed there by Rankin.
While being taken to Mahoning County Jail, Pearce told police that she had an unloaded gun in the crotch area of her pants.
All three are in the jail and are to appear today in Mahoning County Area Court here.