METRO DIGEST || Route 224 crash victim identified

Victim identified

ELLSWORTH

The victim of a fiery two-vehicle crash Monday morning on U.S. Route 224 has been identified by the Mahoning County Coroner’s office as Raul Cisneros Aguirre, 42, of Camvet Drive in Campbell. Badly burned, he was identified using forensic dental records, said Dr. Joseph Ohr, deputy coroner.

Aguirre was driving a Nissan Xterra on Route 224, just west of Knauf Road. The crash occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. when the Xterra was traveling west and lost control on the ice and slush, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Canfield Post. A pickup driven by Jeffrey Huss, of Sugarcreek, was eastbound on Route 224 when the Xterra went left of center, crossing into the path of the pickup and colliding with it. Both vehicles went off the roadway into a ditch, where the Xterra caught fire. Aguirre was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy will be conducted today.

Appeal denied

YOUNGSTOWN

The Ohio Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal for Aubrey Toney in the Sept. 25, 2010, drive-by shooting death of Thomas Repchic on the city’s South Side. The move clears the way for his capital murder jury trial to begin July 15 before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Toney, 32, of Youngstown, appealed Judge Sweeney’s decision to allow a witness, who is in the process of moving out of state, to give a pretrial deposition, saying he is being denied his constitutional right to confront the witness in person in a trial. Sweeney said the deposition would be used in court only if the witness is unavailable to testify at trial.

The 7th District Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal, saying Sweeney’s decision to allow the deposition was not a final appealable order.

Toney’s lawyer, John B. Juhasz, would have a right to cross-examine the witness in the deposition, just as he would in a trial, said Ralph Rivera, assistant county prosecutor.

Special meeting

Boardman

Township trustees have a special meeting at 2 p.m. today at the administration building to discuss pending litigation.

BOE meeting

MINERAL RIDGE

Weathersfield school board meets at 7 tonight in the middle school library.

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