House fire in Vienna

House fire in Vienna

VIENNA — Damage was estimated at $145,000 and two pet dogs lost their lives in a house fire on Youngstown-Kingsville Road.

Fire Chief Richard Brannon said Ralph Woods of 1395 Youngstown-Kingsville Road wasn’t home when the fire was discovered shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Someone reported black smoke coming out of an upper-floor window of the split-level house, Brannon said.

When fire crews arrived, smoke was pouring from all of the doors and windows, an indication the fire had been burning for some time, the chief said.

Two frozen fire hydrants hampered efforts to put out the blaze, and Vienna was joined at the scene by crews from Liberty, Brookfield, Hartford and Fowler, Brannon said. No one was injured but Woods’ two dogs perished, he said.

The fire appears to have started in the basement, but a cause hadn’t been determined as of late Tuesday.

Man says dancer from strip club robbed him

GIRARD — City police are looking into a private dance that may have ended in a robbery for one East Main Street man.

According to police reports, the 24-year-old man went to a strip club in North Lima and watched a 20-year-old Struthers woman perform Sunday. After watching the performance, the man offered the woman $350 for a private dance and “companionship,” reports say.

Reports say the woman’s uncle drove her to the man’s Girard apartment and waited outside. After a short time, the man accused the woman of stealing from him and refused to let her leave.

The woman threatened to have her uncle who had been waiting outside shoot the man if he did not let her leave. She said a man who had been hiding in the closet came out of it and stole the money.

Police referred all parties to the prosecutor to file charges.

Charged with assault

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A man is charged with aggravated assault after a domestic dispute in which he threatened to set a woman on fire, said state police in New Castle.

The assault happened at 7 p.m. Thursday. Police said Jeffrey Raymond Burkey, 37, of Smalls Ferry Road, North Beaver Township, poured gasoline all over the victim, a 43-year-old woman, and threatened to ignite her and burn down the house, police said.

The woman fled the house on foot, and he fired two shots from a 12-gauge shotgun as she was fleeing, police said.

She was able to call for help, and after hearing state police were coming, Burkey fled in his vehicle, police said. Troopers spotted him a short time later and, after a short chase on Martin Road, he was arrested.

He was also charged with recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, simple assault and harassment.

Burkey was incarcerated in the Lawrence County jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. The victim did not seek medical treatment, police said.

Pizza Joe’s robbed

YOUNGSTOWN — Pizza Joe’s, 3506 Mahoning Ave., was robbed by a man who first placed an order and then told an employee to give him cash from the register, saying, “Don’t play around, I don’t want to hurt anyone,” police said. The robbery happened around 8:15 p.m. Monday.

The robber kept his hands in his coat pockets during the crime. He left in a red 2002 to 2006 Dodge Avenger or Stratus with road salt all over it. Witnesses described the suspect as a tall, thin white man with a close-cut goatee.