Youngstown house party nets three arrests

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Three men were arrested early Sunday after police responded to a house party in the 700 block of Crandall Avenue on the North Side.

When police arrived shortly before 1 a.m., they noticed several cars parked in the street, along with dozens of people in the yard and on the porch. The house was so overcrowded, too, that people inside couldn’t move freely, police said.

As soon as officers began to enter the house, however, people began to flee.

A man later identified as 22-year-old Edward Kelner of Austinburg, Ohio, remained, continuing to talk on his cellphone. Kelner told police that he did not live at the residence but ignored them when asked why he was still there, the report says.

Police then ordered Kelner to leave; instead, he turned his back to them. Officers attempted to place Kelner under arrest, but he did not comply. He was arrested after a short struggle and charged with misconduct at an emergency and resisting arrest.

While clearing the residence, police found a 17-year-old girl sleeping on an upstairs porch. She told police that the house’s owners gave her permission to stay there.

Police also found, in plain sight, a marijuana grinder, a clear plastic bag of marijuana, a pack of party armbands, and a marijuana pipe. One of the partygoers told police that she had paid $5 to enter the party and drink alcohol, which was signified by the armband.

Two men — later identified as 20-year-old Tyler Foster and 19-year-old Zachary Rovnak — then told police they lived at the residence and that the party had just gotten out of hand. They were both arrested, though Foster resisted arrest.

Both Foster and Rovnak were charged with child endangering, operating a private club, possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster also was charged with resisting arrest.