METRO DIGEST | SMARTS competition

SMARTS competition

YOUNGSTOWN

The Delta Eta Performing Arts Competition will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lemon Grove Caf to support Youngstown State University’s SMARTS – Students Motivated by the Arts. The contest will follow a “battle of the bands” format and will feature performances by Pog Mahoning, The Happy Endings, Dear Citizen, 1093 Entertainment, Dave Cody Trio, The Poppers and Strings Attached. The program is sponsored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity.

Pleads innocent

WARREN

Alesia R. Austin, 22, of Randolph Street Northwest, pleaded innocent in Warren Municipal Court on Monday to felonious assault and misdemeanor child endangering. Police said Austin rammed another woman’s car on Scott Street Northeast about 9 p.m. Friday while Austin’s 3-year-old son was in the car.

Tiffany Cherry, 27, told police she and Austin had an argument at Burlington Coat Factory in Niles earlier Friday that resulted in Austin threatening Cherry with a knife. Austin followed Cherry’s vehicle, then rammed it on Scott Street and left the scene, police said. A witness verified Cherry’s story, police said.

The felonious-assault charge carries a penalty of up to eight years in prison if convicted.

Plea entered in crash

WARREN

Carl J. Hassenplug, 55, of 3556 Ridgelawn Ave. SE, has pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular assault and one count of failure to stop in a May 14, 2010, accident that injured a man and woman on a motorcycle.

Hassenplug entered the plea before Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. He’ll be sentenced after the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department conducts a presentence investigation. The charges stem from an accident on East Market Street near North Road in Howland Township that injured Lloyd and Julie Ware, both 51, of Olian Avenue.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Hassenplug was westbound on East Market and failed to yield while turning left into a private drive. The Wares were eastbound. Hassenplug could be sentenced to up to 11 years in prison.

Mine collapse kills man

NEW SPRINGFIELD

A mine collapse left a 30-year-old worker dead Monday morning.

Jason Gudat, 30, of Washingtonville, was found inside a mine at the East Fairfield Coal-Subtropolis after the ceiling collapsed, reports state.

Police, fire and other emergency crews arrived just after 1:30 a.m. Monday at the East Garfield Road mine after someone called to report a worker was buried inside the mine. “It’s the first one I’ve seen since I started working here,” said Springfield Police Chief Matthew Mohn, who has been with the department for 19 years. “The only comment I have is it’s a tragic incident.”

Officials from East Fairfield Coal were unavailable to comment Monday afternoon. The Mahoning County Coroner’s office said the cause of death, ruled accidental, was multiple blunt-force injuries of the chest and abdomen as a result of falling rock.

Bench trial to be set

GIRARD

The date for a bench trial in Girard Municipal Court for Eugene R. White, 62, of Shiloh, Ohio, will be set in the next 60 days. White is accused in a traffic crash in which three people died. A pre-trial hearing was Monday.

White faces six misdemeanor charges from a traffic accident May 24, 2010, in which his tractor-trailer hit the rear of a vehicle stopped in a construction zone in the eastbound lane of Interstate 80 across from the truck scales.

Killed were Shirley Gilmore, 66, of Warren, who was driving her brother, David Westenfelder, 56, and sister, Wendy Frost, 59, both of Surprise, Ariz., to Pittsburgh International Airport. Westenfelder and Frost were visiting for the 50th wedding anniversary of Gilmore and her husband, Larry.

Program planned

SHARON, Pa.

The Mercer County Young Democrats will present Union of Voices, A Workers’ Memorial, from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday across the street from Penn State Shenango Lartz Memorial Library, 177 Vine Ave.

The event is intended to recognize workers who have been killed or injured on the job. Included are musical acts, food and art.