Saturday, June 23, 2012
Staff report
WARREN
A 34-year-old city man will be arraigned Monday on a charge of aggravated burglary and other charges in a break-in on North River Road near Elm Road in Howland.
A 13-year-old girl was home alone at 9:20 a.m. Thursday when she heard glass breaking and other noises in the house, so she called 911, hid in an upstairs closet and remained on the phone, Howland Police Chief Paul Monroe said.
Police officers were at the home in about two minutes and entered the house, where the suspect was still located, Monroe said.
The suspect, later identified as Gary Dowden, 34, of Reo Boulevard, then fled out the front door, but one of the officers spotted him, ran him down and arrested him in the parking lot of the nearby Walgreens store, Monroe said.
The suspect apparently had come into the house through a basement window and took gold jewelry from the house before he left, Monroe said.
Felony charges of aggravated burglary and possessing criminal tools, as well as misdemeanors of resisting arrest and illegal use of drug paraphernalia were filed in Warren Municipal Court. Dowden remains in the Trumbull County jail awaiting his arraignment.
Dowden had syringes and items used for cooking drugs in his clothing when he was arrested, Monroe said.
If convicted, Dowden faces more than 10 years in prison.