Building owner files lawsuit over damage

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The owner of a commercial building has sued the city of Campbell, Mayor George Krinos, fire Chief Nick Hrelec and a city street department backhoe operator, saying the city damaged his building while demolishing an adjacent fire-damaged vacant commercial structure.

William V. Murray, of Monroe Street, filed suit Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, saying Juan Miranda, city backhoe operator, negligently damaged Murray’s building at 22 12th St. and its contents, by pushing beams from the fire-damaged 20 12th St. into Murray’s building Dec. 15, 2008.

A city fire department report describes the blaze as suspicious.

Murray spent $20,300 to renovate his building in preparation for a business to occupy it, but his building is now on the city’s demolition list due to the damage caused by the backhoe, according to Murray’s lawyer, Mark I. Verkhlin, who filed the lawsuit.

The complaint, which seeks in excess of $25,000 in damages and demands a jury trial, is assigned to Judge James C. Evans.

Lewis Jackson, Campbell’s director of administration, declined to comment on the lawsuit.