Man who fled cops appears in court

campbell

A man who is accused of splitting a police officer’s lip and fleeing after a traffic stop uncovered 45 grams of cocaine was arraigned in Campbell Municipal Court.

Latrell C. Kimbrough, 33, of Youngstown posted $8,200 bond, or 10 percent of $82,200, after the Thursday morning court appearance.

Kimbrough is charged with assault and trafficking in cocaine, which are felonies. He did not plead to the felonies, which would be transferred to the Mahoning County Common Pleas court. He pleaded innocent to resisting arrest, and speeding, which are misdemeanors, the court said. He is scheduled to return for a preliminary hearing and pretrial at 9 a.m. Jan. 7.

Police said they uncovered the cocaine in Kimbrough’s coat pocket as they frisked him after he was stopped for speeding at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday on Coitsville Road. It was split into three bags, which indicates it was to be sold, said Campbell Detective Sgt. John Rusnak.

Police estimated its street value at $1,800. Kimbrough also had $840 in cash in his pocket, they said.

A police report says Kimbrough tried to run away after the police officer who was frisking him found the bag. The department’s K9 handler, who made the traffic stop, grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. Kimbrough swung his arm and twisted out of the jacket, hitting the K9 officer in the mouth as he did so.

Four officers chased him, shooting him twice with a stun gun. He kept running and was caught on a porch on Eastern Avenue, the report said.

He resisted arrest and was hit in the face with pepper spray, the report said.

The police dog was ordered to grab him twice, once in the arm and once in the leg, before he was finally arrested, the report said.