Cops: Man gets car stuck twice before ramming cruiser

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police say a man who tried to drive away from them Thursday evening got his car stuck in the grass twice before ramming a cruiser.

Reports also said the driver had to be ordered out at gunpoint after being told several times to get out of his car.

Ronald Wolfe, 50, of Youngstown, was taken to the Mahoning County jail after he was arrested about 8:35 p.m. Thursday. According to jail records, he later was released on summons.

Police were called to Ada and Poplar streets on the North Side on a report of a suspicious car in a cul de sac that matched the description of an earlier call for a suspicious car, although that car was gone on the earlier call. When officers arrived, they found the car and began walking up to it to try to talk to the driver, reports said.

Reports said the driver, Wolfe, put the car in gear and tried to drive away, and the officers went back to their cars and turned their sirens on to try to get him to stop.

But Wolfe drove over a curb and got his car stuck in the grass. Officers yelled at Wolfe to get out but instead, he managed to free the car and tried to drive away again, but got stuck again before ramming a cruiser, reports said.

Officers then drew their guns and ordered Wolfe out of his car and after several attempts, he complied.

Reports said Wolfe told police he was in the cul de sac smoking crack cocaine, and he had a crack pipe in his car.

Police searched the car and found the crack pipe, reports said.

Wolfe is charged with obstructing official business and possession of a drug-abuse instrument.