METRO DIGEST || Applebee’s theft

Applebee’s theft

BOARDMAN

A 45-year-old former Applebee’s restaurant employee will be back in court next month, facing a charge of felony theft.

Ronald A. Scurti, of Youngstown, is accused of using his credit card to make purchases at the South Avenue Applebee’s between August and October and giving himself “excessive tips,” police said.

Police said Scurti then disputed the charges with his credit card company, and an Applebee’s manager told police that the restaurant is being charged for the money, accusing Scurti of defrauding the restaurant by keeping the cash tips.

Scurti posted his $2,500 bond and did not enter a plea at his Tuesday arraignment, according to court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 27.

Holiday ‘drop and shop’

STRUTHERS

A holiday gift and decoration “drop and shop” recycling project is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event is sponsored by Republic Services, Poland Township, Struthers, the Mahoning County Green Team and YSU re:CREATE and will be at Mauthe Park, 156 Smithfield St. Participants are encouraged to donate gently used holiday decorations and gift items between 9 and 11 a.m., and anyone can help themselves to the “new to you” festive decorations and gifts throughout the event. Free refreshments will be provided.

Mom to be evaluated

warren

Felicia Beemer, accused along with her husband of raping the couple’s 1-year-old child during a visit at the Trumbull County Children Services Board offices, will be evaluated to determine if she’s competent to stand trial on criminal charges.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court ordered the evaluation during a pretrial hearing Wednesday. Beemer, 21, is of Warren.

A different judge ordered last week that her husband, Cody Beemer, 22, receive the same type of evaluation after his attorney entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Pleading insanity

warren

Andre Ervin, a Warren man charged with 60 criminal offenses over the past nine years, has been ordered to receive an evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.

Ervin, 47, was in Warren Municipal Court on Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether a felony charge of gross sexual imposition filed against him would be bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury.

Ervin signed a form agreeing to being bound over, but when Magistrate Dan Gerin asked Ervin whether he understood the proceedings, Ervin didn’t answer and instead said he would plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

The magistrate then ordered the evaluation. Ervin’s next hearing is set for Nov. 17.

Ervin is charged with groping a 16-year-old girl as she walked to school early last month.

Guilty plea in burglary

warren

David Limbeck, 22, of Trumbull Avenue, Girard, has pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and carrying a concealed weapon for two incidents on May 1 and July 14.

Police said Limbeck threatened an elderly woman and took a laptop computer from her Mahoning Avenue home July 14, then placed the computer in bushes near the Mahoning River.

Diane Barber, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said the woman thought Limbeck had a gun but he actually was holding a hammer during the burglary.

The weapons charge stemmed from a May 1 incident in which police chased Limbeck on Parkman Road and found him to have a loaded handgun.

He will be sentenced in about five weeks after the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department conducts a pre-sentence investigation. He could get more than 10 years in prison.

Cop injured in attack

warren

James A. Lipscomb, 33, of Market Street, Youngstown, has pleaded innocent to felony assault and resisting arrest after he fought with a Warren police officer Monday afternoon.

The officer, Sgt. Greg Hoso, was patrolling the Trumbull Homes apartments on Roman Street at 12:35 p.m. when he noticed illegally parked cars and asked individuals standing outside the apartments to move them.

Another person came walking out from behind an apartment with his hand behind his back and refused to show his hand to the officer.

The officer pointed his stun gun at the man, later identified as Lipscomb, and fired it at him after repeated warnings. Lipscomb charged at the officer, striking him in the shoulder, leading to a wrestling match.

Lipscomb, who tossed a bag toward a second man during the scuffle, was eventually brought under control when a second officer arrived to assist.

Sgt. Hoso suffered injuries to his hands and lower back. A judge in Warren Municipal Court set bond at $15,000.