Case goes to grand jury

Case goes to grand jury

WARREN — A Scott Street Northeast man has waived a preliminary hearing and was bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury on six felony charges relating to a standoff with Warren police after a vehicle pursuit.

Brandon R. Thompson, 37, is charged with three counts of felonious assault, one count of failure to comply with the orders of a police officer, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of drugs.

In addition to binding the case over to the grand jury, Judge Thomas Gysegem of Warren Municipal Court reduced Thompson’s bond to $200,000 during a hearing this week.

Police said they began pursuing Thompson in his vehicle around 4 a.m. March 15. The pursuit ended at Thompson’s apartment, where Thompson barricaded himself in his apartment and fired one shot from a gun, police said. The shot did not hit anyone.

Austintown bank robbed

AUSTINTOWN — An armed man robbed the Key Bank on Raccoon Road. Just before 3 p.m. Thursday a man in his mid-20s walked into the bank brandishing a handgun. Police said he was about 5 feet 10 inches tall, of average build and wearing a heavy, gray-hooded jacket.

The amount taken from the bank was not disclosed. The robbery is being investigated by the Austintown Police Department along with the local FBI and Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force.

Anyone with information should contact Austintown Police Department at (330) 799-9721 or the FBI office at (330) 965-2940.

Robbed at workplace

AUSTINTOWN — A Youngstown woman was robbed at gunpoint outside a nursing home where she works.

She was in her car in the parking lot of the business on Kirk Road just after 3 a.m. Thursday when a man with braided hair wearing a white T-shirt and white shorts approached.

She told police at first he was parked next to her but got out of his car and opened her driver’s side door holding a revolver.

The woman said he demanded money and stated, “I should just go ahead and take you,” according to police reports. After taking the woman’s cell phone, car keys and $50 in cash, he got into an older model gray car and fled the lot.

Police located the suspect pumping gas at Sheetz on Mahoning Avenue. As officers approached, he got into the car and fled East on Mahoning. Officers pursued the suspect to the 800 block of Plazaview Court in Youngstown, where he was able to dump the car and escape on foot.

Spring Gas-Up planned

WARREN — The 10th annual Spring Gas-Up for the Antique Tractor Club of Trumbull County will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Tractor Supply Co. on Elm Road.

The free event features displays of antique tractors and other items of as well as a petting zoo for kids. Tractor Supply will give out some gift cards, and the Trumbull County Farm Bureau will be giving plaques and gift cards to participants.

There will be two entertainers this year: Country-western singer Kassie Simpson will perform, and Pastor Tim McPhearson from the Champion Church of the Nazarene will be playing his bagpipes.

Refreshments will be available, including homemade ice cream. The 4-H Trumbull Dairy Feeders will be selling baked goods inside the store.

Charged with robbery

SALEM — A Salem man shoved security guards and bit one of them while trying to steal video games from the Wal-Mart store here, police said. A woman who was apparently an accomplice fled in a car after hitting and damaging a parked car Tuesday afternoon.

Police said security guards watched William Keck, 31, of Fifth Street, take seven games to a grocery aisle, where he used a razor knife to remove security codes. He then went to another aisle and put some of the games in his pants.

Police said the guards took him to the security office, but Keck shoved one and ran outside about 3:29 p.m., shoved another guard and bit one. Keck is charged with robbery.