Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bank-robbery arrest
HOWLAND — U.S. Marshals with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested a Warren woman at a house on Elizabeth Avenue Southeast Wednesday on two counts of complicity to commit robbery. Police say she participated in a Hermitage, Pa., bank robbery Dec. 8, 2008.
Deatra Cayson, 33, formerly of Logan Avenue and Oak Street in Warren, was traveling across country with a truck driver from Warren and was returning with the truck driver to his mother’s house on Elizabeth Avenue. Investigators observed her getting out of the truck at the house and arrested her without incident.
Cayson is in Trumbull County jail awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.
The Citizens Bank on East State Street was robbed by a man Dec. 8, 2008. Police later charged Rodney J. Stefek, 44, of Howland. He was convicted in federal court in Pittsburgh and sentenced in May to 151 months in federal prison. Police said he took more than $3,000.
Murder indictment
WARREN — A Trumbull County grand jury has indicted James Dotson Jr., 27, of Idylwild Street Northeast, on a murder charge in the death of Derek Thrash, 20, of Southern Boulevard Northwest.
The indictment also accuses Dotson of being a repeat violent offender, using a firearm in commission of the crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. All four charges could add up to 33 years to life in prison upon conviction. Police said Dotson killed Thrash by shooting him in the chest in the parking lot of the Big Apple Convenient Mart on Youngstown Road on Oct. 3.
Dotson will be arraigned at 11:30 a.m. today by Judge Andrew Logan in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Passenger hurt in crash
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A woman was hurt in a car accident Wednesday morning in the 2400 block of Graceland Road, Neshannock Township.
Wendy L. Hake, 29, of Halco Drive in New Castle, was a passenger in a car driven by Dayna Griffin, also of Halco Drive. Police were called to the accident site at 9 a.m. and discovered Griffin’s car over a steep hillside. Hake was trapped inside and unconscious, police said.
Griffin told them the accident happened at 5 a.m., and it took him that long to get himself out of the car.
Hake was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, and the crash is under investigation.
Health, benefits expo
NILES – Unemployed people, retirees, seniors and children can receive free health information and sign up for services during the first “Wellness & Benefits Expo” at the Eastwood Mall today and Friday. The Eastwood Mall, in conjunction with St. Joe’s at the Mall, Area Agency on Aging 11, the Alliance for Senior Americans and SCOPE are sponsoring the event to help people learn about the services that can help them survive tough economic times.
Mall-goers can take advantage of expert advice provided by the various vendors on such topics as prescription assistance, advance directives, home care, hospice, congestive heart failure, injury/fall prevention and more.
Teen struck by gun
YOUNGSTOWN — Police are looking for the man who hit an East High School student in the head with a gun after school this week.
The 15-year-old student was walking home from school at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when he walked past a group of teens standing at Bennington and East High avenues. Reports say one of the teens, believed to be about 19 years old, hit the boy in the head with the gun, and the group ran off.
The boy was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital in Boardman for observation.
Meeting site changed
CANFIELD — Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District will have its 58th annual meeting and election breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Friday at Colonial Inn at Canfield Fairgrounds, 7265 Columbiana-Canfield Road.
The location has been changed from Mill Creek MetroParks Farm, which was announced in an earlier notice.
Meeting rescheduled
YOUNGSTOWN — Stambaugh Charter Academy Board of Directors has rescheduled a meeting for today at 3 p.m., 2420 Donald Ave.