Howland police arrest two on drug charges

January 21, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

WARREN — Two Howland residents were arrested after police officers walked up to their car Monday afternoon and observed one of them injecting something into her wrist with a syringe.

Two Warren detectives followed the vehicle from a known “heroin house” and approached the car at a traffic light at West Market Street and Parkman Road around 5:15 p.m., police said. They saw the woman “shooting up,” according to a Warren police report.

After the officers identified themselves, the male driver began to drive off, but officers drew their service revolvers, and the driver stopped.

Eva Kearns, 23, of Celestial Drive, was charged with a felony count of drug possession and a misdemeanor of possession of drug abuse instruments. The driver, Kyle J. Dixon, 22, of the same address, was charged with a misdemeanor of permitting drug abuse.

Both pleaded innocent Tuesday in Warren Municipal Court.

Houses burn in city

YOUNGSTOWN — Two houses were deliberately set on fire late Monday and early Tuesday, the fire department said.

At 527 Sherwood Ave. on the South Side, firefighters found heavy smoke and fire in the basement around 12:40 a.m. Tuesday. The owner was to call his insurance company to board up the place. Three residents were evicted about an hour before the fire, reports show. Damage was set at $7,000 to the property and contents.

At 372 Emerson Place on the North Side, fire extended from the first to the second floor of the vacant house at 10:50 p.m. Monday. Damage was set at $10,000, a total loss.

Warren man faces weapons charges

WARREN — Gerald Poole, 50, of Roosevelt Street Northwest, is charged with two felony counts of carrying a concealed weapon and a misdemeanor of discharging a firearm in the city limits after officers found him in the Giant Eagle parking lot on Mahoning Avenue with two firearms in his vehicle.

Police followed him to the parking lot after a report that someone in a similar car had fired shots around 1:30 p.m. Monday on Mercer Avenue Northeast. No damage or injuries were reported.

Poole was released after posting 10 percent of a $7,500 bond and pleading innocent in Warren Municipal Court.

Charged with assault

BOARDMAN — An Austintown woman faces a felonious-assault charge, accused of stabbing the father of her child.

Alison Heydle, 20, Compass West, is to appear Thursday in Mahoning County Area Court.

Police were called Friday afternoon to a Palo Verde Drive home.

When they arrived, the victim, Heydle’s boyfriend, told officers the two of them had argued and after a minor physical altercation, he tried to leave the home but Heydle slashed his coat several times with a kitchen knife.

The victim told police he didn’t know he’d been cut until he saw drops of blood in the snow. The victim wouldn’t sign charges on Heydle, but she was arrested and transported to the Mahoning County jail.

Mayor returns raise

WARREN — Mayor Michael O’Brien has written a check to the city’s finance department for $4,389 — the equivalent of a 5 percent pay cut of his 2009 salary.

O’Brien, who also wrote a check for $2,141 in November while refusing his 2.5 percent cost-of-living pay increase, said he is taking the pay cut “due to the city of Warren’s financial condition.”

O’Brien was in line to make $87,788 in 2009, but will now make $81,258, according to figures supplied by the mayor’s office.

The budget council approved last month involved laying off 20 police officers, 11 firefighters and eight other city employees Jan. 1.

The layoffs allowed the city to reduce its 2009 budget by $1.2 million, to $27.5 million.

Couple arrested

SHARON, Pa. — A husband and wife are in the Mercer County jail with bond set at $10,000 each after they were caught in a stolen car, city police said.

Michele Moore, 36, and Shawn Moore, 31, of Silver Street, were arrested Saturday after police were called to the Side Pocket Cafe on Silver Street around 9 p.m., said police Chief Michael Menster. The chief said video from the bar showed Michele Moore stealing a purse from the bar. She took the keys from the purse and drove the car away, he said.

Officers found the car on Silver Street near the intersection with Fifth Street, he said. Shawn Moore had another set of keys that were stolen from the bar, he said. Shawn Moore is charged with criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property.

Menster said Michele Moore struggled while she was being taken out of the cruiser at the police station, and she kicked an officer. At the Southwest Regional Police lockup, she was combative again and punched an officer in the arm, he said. She is charged with theft, conspiracy, receiving stolen property, aggravated assault on an officer and resisting arrest.

Beaver board of education elects officers for 2009

ROGERS — Dr. Keith Meredith has been re-elected president of Beaver Board of Education. John Campbell was re-elected vice president during the recent reorganization meeting and the board appointed Ronald Bryer to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Craig Dietz, who resigned in December.