Man charged in turnpike carjacking

Staff report

STRUTHERS

A 23-year-old Massachusetts man accused of carjacking a woman on the Ohio Turnpike will be back in court Jan. 25.

Duane Gray of Shirley, Mass., was arraigned on a robbery charge Monday in Struthers Municipal Court after his Saturday arrest by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers.

Sgt. Patrick Abel of the Hiram Post said Gray was traveling east on the turnpike through Springfield Township on a bus about 9 a.m. Saturday.

“He became belligerent and started kicking the bus doors, so the bus pulled over, and he requested to be released from the bus,” Abel said.

The driver released Gray, who ran across the grass median.

“He stopped an oncoming car, opened the driver’s door and forced the female driver and her 10-year-old daughter out of the car. He took possession of the car and continued east, made a U-turn and then headed back west,” Abel said.

The female driver called 911. Troopers stopped Gray on the turnpike in Trumbull County and arrested him “without incident,” Abel said.

No weapons were involved and no injuries reported, he said.

“He appeared to be normal at the time [of his arrest] but he did state that he was off his anxiety medication, and that’s what sparked this. An ambulance was requested to check his well-being, and he was released from their care,” Abel said.