South Side knifing, shooting keep Youngstown cops busy

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A knife fight and shooting kept city police busy Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Police charged Maria Pineiro, 56, of Youngstown, with resisting arrest and felonious assault about midnight Saturday. Officers were called to 2403 South Ave. for a knife fight and found a very intoxicated woman, later identified as Pineiro, and a 48-year-old man, reports state.

The man was bleeding from his hand and told police that Pineiro tried to cut him in the neck with a knife during an argument, and he blocked the knife with his hand, officers said.

Pineiro pulled away from officers who tried to handcuff her and a knife fell out of her sweater sleeve, police said. She was put in the cruiser, where she pounded the dividing glass with her left hand that was in a cast and not handcuffed, according to reports. When an officer opened the door to speak with her, police said Pineiro punched him in the face with her casted hand.

As she was being restrained, she told police “I got something for you” and urinated on herself, reports state. She was taken to Mahoning County jail.

Several hours later, police were called to Shell gas station, 3200 Market St., for a report of a large crowd and cars blocking the road. When they arrived about 3 a.m., officers heard two gunshots come from a nearby lot that was the former site of an Arby’s restaurant, according to reports.

Officers approached the two men and one woman in the area, and one man fled. During the chase, the man, later identified as 21-year-old Bryant L. Spence, of Liberty, brandished a gun before throwing it in nearby bushes, police said.

Spence was apprehended on West Boston Avenue.

Police said while walking to the cruiser, Spence fell to the ground, saying he couldn’t breathe. Spence was taken to a hospital for treatment and then to Mahoning County jail. Officers said they found a small bag of marijuana in his pocket and recovered a .40-caliber handgun in the weeds along with shell cases from where the shots were first heard.

Spence is facing charges of drug abuse, discharging firearms in city limits, carrying concealed weapons, having weapons while under disability, resisting arrest and failure to comply with police order.

Spence is scheduled to have a final pretrial in another case today in front of Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on a charge of failure to comply with a police order.