43
Man guilty of assaulting officer
Photo
Clyde Hudson.
YOUNGSTOWN
A city man could spend more than 11 years in prison after his conviction on assaulting a city police officer with his car in 2010.
A Mahoning County grand jury indicted Clyde Hudson, 25, of Idlewood Avenue, on charges of felonious assault, improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and illegal possession of a weapon. He had a trial in the court earlier this month.
Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court found Hudson guilty Wednesday of the felonious-assault and improper-handling charges. The judge found him not guilty of the illegal-possession-of-a-weapon charge.
Judge Durkin will sentence Hudson on Aug. 4. He could receive 10 years for the felonious assault and a maximum of 18 months for the improper handling for a total of 111/2 years in prison.
Jennifer McLaughlin, an assistant county prosecutor, during the trial, argued that Hudson was leaving a bar on Hylda Avenue near Market Street on the South Side late Feb. 14 when a commotion broke out outside the bar. Police were sent to the area to investigate reports of gunfire.
Officer George Anderson testified he was given information that those shooting were in either a Toyota, a Tahoe SUV or a Chevrolet Caprice. He said he later was told the two shooters were seen running to a Caprice.
Anderson said he and another officer located the Caprice a short distance from the bar and, with guns drawn, ordered the two men to get out of the vehicle.
He said the driver, later determined to be Hudson, refused to obey the order and instead backed the car up and drove directly at him, making the officer jump out of the way to avoid being struck.
The Caprice ended up stuck in a snow bank mere feet from where Anderson initially spotted the car. Hudson and a passenger attempted to run, but both were caught after a short foot-chase.
Officers found two loaded handguns, one containing a 29-round magazine, inside the car.
Atty. Lou DeFabio, representing Hudson, on cross-examination pointed out officers were in the middle of a crowded street at night and not directly in Hudson’s view with headlights. He also pointed out that there were no threatening gestures or firearms pointed at officers as they approached the vehicle.
Hudson also was arrested after a brawl that occurred after the July 14 video arraignment of Melvin S. Shaw II in Youngstown Municipal Court. Shaw is accused of killing Tracee Banks, 17, and attempting to kill Jamel Turner, 18, on June 19, 2010.
After the arraignment, as family and friends of the victim and the suspect left the courtroom, an altercation broke out, and dozens of police officers rushed to the scene.
Police said Hudson was a major contributor to the violence taking place after the court proceedings.
Hudson has faced other charges such as domestic violence, obstructing official business, criminal damaging and receiving stolen property.