Crash murder arrest

Crash murder arrest

MERCER, Pa..

An arrest warrant was issued for a 33-year old Hermitage woman in the murder of Mercer County businessman Frank Crash. According to Vindicator broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, Tracy Linn Hassel will be arraigned on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, robbery and burglary. She is jailed in Muncy. A criminal complaint says police believe Hassel knew Crash and broke into his home on July 25, 2013, to steal money. Police believe she stabbed him 76 times and stole a ring and cash from him.

Abduction charge

GIRARD

Mark A. Robertson, 49, of Smith Stewart Road in Vienna and North Road in Niles, was arraigned Tuesday in Girard Municipal Court on a felony abduction charge and misdemeanor assault charge. The charges were filed after he pulled his girlfriend out of a house in Niles after an argument, took her to his home in Vienna, punched her in the mouth, choked her, put his fingers down her mouth and pulled her hair Oct. 4, according to police. The woman had visible injuries to her mouth but refused medical attention. Judge Jeff Adler set bond at $15,000 on the abduction charge and $7,500 on the assault. Robertson pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor; no plea was entered on the felony.

Food-service director

BOARDMAN

Natalie Winkle has been named the new food-service director for the Boardman schools. She previously worked for Austintown schools for 15 years. For the past three years, she worked as assistant to the food service director.

Burglary investigated

HUBBARD

Hubbard Township police are investigating a burglary on Wick-Campbell Road in which a man tricked homeowners into staying outside while someone else went inside. Chief Todd Coonce said the burglary occurred between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 2300 block of Wick-Campbell Road. A man in his 50s with a gray mustache and dark complexion drove up in a green or brown pickup truck while the couple were in their yard and engaged them in a discussion about sealing their driveway, Coonce said. The man had a two-way radio. After he left, the couple discovered jewelry and cash missing from their house. “We stress this: Even if you go outside to do lawn work, take your key and lock your doors,” Coonce said.

Drugs at city hall

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested a woman who ran from city hall Wednesday afternoon after a security guard found a bag of marijuana in her purse. Reports said an officer was just getting ready to go on patrol when he noticed Tamara Taylor, 30, of Youngstown, and a man being chased by two security guards. Taylor was caught in the city hall parking lot but the man got away. She was given a summons on a charge of possession of marijuana. Security personnel found the marijuana in her purse when she went through a security checkpoint, reports said.

Sentenced for murder

WARREN

An Ashtabula County man sentenced to 25 years to life for a 2010 murder in Conneaut received an additional year in prison Thursday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Jeremy Summers, 23, pleaded guilty before Judge Ronald Rice to harassment with a bodily substance. Summers threw urine at a corrections officer at the Trumbull Correctional Institute in Leavittsburg, prosecutors said. Judge Rice asked Summers why he did it, and Summers said, “Just bored, I guess.”

News accounts say Summers beat to death a 65-year-old man during a robbery after Summers and three others went to the home to get money to buy alcohol.

Facing drug charges

YOUNGSTOWN

A West LaClede Avenue man is in the Mahoning County jail after police found four bags of cocaine in his car about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Reports said an officer pulled over 32-year-old Jerret Southerland for speeding on the Himrod Avenue Expressway and smelled a strong odor of marijuana from his car. Reports said Southerland admitted to smoking some before he got in the car and offered to allow the officer to smell his fingers, but the officer declined, reports said.

The car was searched, and the four bags each containing about an ounce of cocaine were found inside a coat. Southerland was taken to the jail on a charge of aggravated possession of drugs.

Students cited

YOUNGSTOWN

Two students were issued citations at Choffin Career and Technical Center, 200 E. Wood St., about 2 p.m. Wednesday. A 17-year-old male was issued a citation for disorderly conduct after reports said he pushed and shoved a female student, picked her up and threatened to drop her on her head and cause her to bleed. Reports said the boy was given a four-day suspension. Cited for menacing was 18-year-old Jah’najha Bowers, who reports said repeatedly threatened the female student that the 17-year-old was accused of assaulting, because Bowers was upset that her friend was being suspended.

Clean audit report

BOARDMAN

The Boardman School District has received a clean audit report, state Auditor Dave Yost announced Thursday. The district received the Auditor of State Award, which is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. To receive the award, Boardman schools had to file timely financial reports and meet a number of criteria determined by the auditor.

Musical tribute

YOUNGSTOWN

Students at the city’s St. Joseph the Provider School will honor and remember veterans with a musical tribute to the armed services at 10 a.m. today in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1125 Turin Ave. A reception will follow the program. All are welcome.

Construction fire

SHARON, Pa.

Sparks from metal work are believed to have caused a fire Thursday night at a commercial building being turned into an apartment building here. Sharon fire Capt. Mike Unrue said firefighters responded to a call at 49 S. Sharpsville Ave. at 4:11 p.m.. They got to the three-story building within three minutes and had the blaze under control within 30 minutes. Officials believe workers cutting metal caused sparks to fly between the floor boards, igniting the space between floors in the building. No one was injured and only workers were present at the time. There was some floor damage, minor water damage and smoke damage, Unrue noted.