Police seize syringe, crack pipe from man

Police seize syringe, crack pipe from man

youngstown

Police found a crack pipe and a syringe on a man who tried to run from a traffic stop about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

An officer tried to pull over a car driven by Brian Lewis, 40, of Youngstown, that had no tail lights at Dewey Avenue and Hillman Street, but instead the car kept going until it stopped at St. Louis Avenue and the driver, Lewis, ran away.

Lewis fell down and would not show his hands or stay on the ground until he was threatened with being shot with a stun gun. When he was searched, the crack pipe and syringe were found. He was taken to Mahoning County jail for the charges of driving under suspension, possession of drug abuse instruments and failure to comply. He’s expected to be arraigned today.

Austintown man: I was held captive

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Police arrested two men and a juvenile Thursday morning after a 33-year-old Austintown man flagged down a cruiser on the South Side and told the officer he was held captive for two days in a home on West Earle Avenue.

Police went to the home and a group of people scattered, reports said. One man was dangling from a bedsheet on the second floor, and two others were also taken into custody, reports said.

The adults, 23 and 33, were taken to the Mahoning County jail and the juvenile to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

Deputy wins award

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Steve Shreffler, a Mahoning County deputy sheriff, has been selected to receive the Youngstown City Schools’ first Distinguished School Officer Service Award.

Shreffler has been a police officer since 1991, worked with the district since 1993 and was hired full time in 1998. He was nominated by staff members at his current assignment at Choffin Career Technical Center.

Nomination forms included comments about him such as, “First and foremost, Officer Steve loves his job!” and “Students listen to him, because they respect him and respect is key to turning a student around.” William Morvay, the school district’s chief of security, described Shreffler as an exceptional officer and role model.

“He works very well with school staff and enthusiastically addresses student concerns or needs,” he said. “Steve’s greatest asset is his desire to serve others. We are fortunate to have him working in the district.”

Awareness events

YOUNGSTOWN

The Rose Mary Flanagan Ovarian Cancer Foundation, founded by Rose Mary after she was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer in 2008, is sponsoring awareness events during September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

Sept. 6 is “Wear Teal Day” on which people are encouraged to wear something teal colored or place teal ribbons on trees, and mailboxes and lamp posts. Teal is the official color of the Turn The Towns Teal, a national campaign to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms and support research.

Other events include a Yin Yoga and spin class at 4 p.m. Sept. 15 at Studio Oxygen, 584 E. Main St., Canfield; and a Teal Tini cocktail party from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 26 at V2 Wine Bar Trattoria, 100 W. Federal St., Youngstown. People who wish to volunteer to help with the events should call 330-559-3500. All proceeds go to the foundation.

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