Man faces gun charge

Man faces gun charge

YOUNGSTOWN — An 18-year-old man who survived a fire a year ago that claimed six of his family was in municipal court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing on a gun charge. Julius Crawford, of Atkinson Avenue, waived his right to the hearing on the charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and Judge Robert P. Milich bound the case over to a Mahoning County grand jury. Crawford was arrested Jan. 20 when police approached the driver of a car in which he was a passenger for a parking violation on West Marion Avenue. Police found a loaded .32-caliber handgun under Crawford’s seat and a small amount of marijuana in his jacket pocket. He pleaded no contest Tuesday to the marijuana charge and was fined $50. On Jan. 23, 2008, four children died in the fire at 1645 Stewart Ave, along with their mother and grandmother. Julius and his sister managed to escape the blaze deliberately set by 18-year-old Michael A. Davis. Davis is in prison for life.

Accident case bound over

YOUNGSTOWN — The case of a Canfield man accused of dragging a body under his car has been bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury. Bryce D. Burke, 26, of Mercedes Place, appeared in municipal court Tuesday afternoon and waived his right to a preliminary hearing on the charge of failure to stop after an accident. Judge Robert P. Milich then transferred the case to Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. On Nov. 29, Andrew Culp, 22, of North Main Street, Columbiana was found in the westbound lane of Midlothian Boulevard near Euclid Boulevard and died from his injuries. Burke had been in the McDonald’s drive-through at South Avenue and Midlothian Boulevard when another motorist told him there was a body under his car, police said. A witness called 911 and told the police dispatcher there was a body under the car in front of him. By the time police arrived, the car had gone. Culp’s body was found in the roadway about two blocks from the McDonald’s. Burke surrendered to detectives Dec. 1.

Unauthorized charge

LIBERTY — Township police are trying to determine who has been using a bank account belonging to the charitable organization Goodwill Industries to pay personal bills. According to police, Goodwill employees noticed about $2,600 in unauthorized charges to an account at National City Bank earlier this week. Police have the name of an individual believed to be responsible. The individual has not been arrested and is not an employee of Goodwill.