Murder charges lead to high bonds for 2 men

Murder charges lead
to high bonds for 2 men

YOUNGSTOWN — High bonds were set Wednesday in municipal court for two men charged with murder. Bond for Michael W. Lee, 20, of Cordova Avenue, is $5 million and bond for Edward E. Taylor II, 19, of Hudson Avenue, is $2 million. Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly, who video arraigned both men, also scheduled preliminary hearings for Dec. 14. Lee and Taylor are charged in the shooting death of James E. Dow, 28, of South Lakeview Avenue. He was found in the basement of 145 Thornton Ave. on Nov. 18. Bret Hartup, assistant city prosecutor, told the judge that Lee has an extensive criminal record in North Carolina that includes robbery and assault. Lee and Taylor were brought back Tuesday from Allentown, Pa., where they fled after the shooting. A third suspect, D’Metri Lee of Youngstown, who turns 18 on Friday, was arrested last month. Detective Sgt. John Kelty has said the motive was drugs and robbery and there are more suspects.

Man exposed himself,
Amish females report

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — A Volant man is accused of exposing himself to four Amish females. Donovan Ford, 34, of Main Street, was charged Monday with multiple counts of indecent exposure, open lewdness, corruption of minors, disorderly conduct and harassment. Pennsylvania State Police said Ford was driving on Indian Run Road near Leesburg Station Road in Wilmington Township, Mercer County, at 5 p.m. Nov. 29 and passed an Amish buggy. Police said he then turned around and stopped in the middle of the road. Four Amish females in the buggy told police that the male driver got out of the car naked and faced the victims. The victims were able to get around the man and to a nearby house for help. Police said the buggy contained two juvenile females, as well as two older women. Ford was placed in Mercer County Jail after failing to post $40,000 bond.

Sobriety checkpoints

MERCER, Pa. — Pennsylvania State Police in Mercer County will conduct sobriety checkpoints Friday and Saturday. The locations and times will be based on previous drunken driving arrests and crashes. The checkpoint is part of a statewide initiative to curb alcohol related crashes.

Collecting for troops

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of Youngstown State University’s Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter are collecting items to be sent to troops serving in Iraq. SADD is working with Arby’s, Peaberry’s and other local businesses to collect items such as coffee, tea and cocoa, beef jerky, gum and hard candy, batteries, T-shirts, board games, playing cards, hand sanitizer, toiletries, cough drops, pens and pencils and more. Items can be dropped off at Arby’s and Peaberry’s in Kilcawley Center on campus today and Friday.

Firefighters probe
cause of Sharon fire

SHARON, Pa. — Firefighters are investigating the cause of an early-morning fire on the third floor of a duplex. Sharon Fire Chief Terence Whalen said firefighters were called at 12:09 a.m. Wednesday to 614 Prindle St. He said two adults and a child sleeping in the third-floor bedroom were awakened by smoke. They got out of the room unharmed and evacuated five other people who were sleeping on the second floor. Whalen said the fire was contained to the mattress, comforter and some clothing. Most of the smoke was contained to the third floor, he said. The house is owned by Dr. Dave Machuga. Sonya Rowl and Shawn Lewis were the occupants of the second- and third-floor apartment. The first-floor tenant was not home when the fire was reported.