Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Lowellville’s tax commissioner may also need reconstructive face surgery.
STRUTHERS — Lowellville Tax Commissioner Gerald Colanieri is in danger of losing sight in his right eye as the result of a fight early Saturday in the parking lot at Donavito’s Italian Grille on Bridge Street.
Colanieri has been told by doctors that he has a 2 percent chance of getting his sight back and may also need reconstructive surgery on his face, said Lowellville Mayor James Iudiciani on Monday.
The mayor said Colanieri went to St. Elizabeth Health Center sometime after the episode and was then transferred by helicopter to a Cleveland hospital for eye surgery and returned home late Sunday. He was called back to Cleveland on Monday to see a reconstruction specialist, Iudiciani said.
According to a Struthers police report, filed at 11:50 a.m. Saturday by Jacque L. Schrader of Wood Street, Lowellville, who was involved, the altercation occurred about 1:30 a.m. that day.
Schrader, who said she was struck by Colanieri during the episode, said she started the evening at a house party and then went with a friend, Tristan Suchora, and an unidentified male to Tristan’s brother Keith’s birthday party at Donavito’s.
When the trio arrived at Donavito’s, she said she saw Colanieri and Renette Pallozzi sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot on the south side of the restaurant.
She said she knew Colanieri and Pallozzi as friends of her family, the police report states. But when she greeted them, Schrader said Pallozzi accused her of being intoxicated and tried to get her into their car to take her home. She refused, and Pallozzi reached out and grabbed her wrist.
At this point, Schrader said Tristan Suchora approached the driver’s side of Colanieri’s vehicle and confronted him. She said the two argued and Colanieri tried to punch Tristan. In the meantime, Keith Suchora had left the bar and walked over to the commotion.
She said Colanieri “sucker punched” Keith from inside his vehicle, and then Keith reached inside the car and punched Colanieri several times. According to the report, Schrader said she pushed Keith away and was struck in the face by Colanieri and fell to the ground.
Schrader said the next thing she remembered was seeing Colanieri outside his vehicle and resting on his hands and knees on the ground. She said he appeared to have a serious injury to his right eye, but said she did not see who caused the injury.
Schrader came to the police department Monday, accompanied by Tristan and Keith Suchora, to make a statement. The Suchoras said they would consult with an attorney before making a statement, according to police.
Colanieri and Pallozzi were also expected to file a police report late Monday or Tuesday giving their version of what occurred, Iudiciani said.
The Lowellville mayor requested that any witnesses to the episode contact Struthers police.
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