Vacant home burns

Vacant home burns

YOUNGSTOWN

A vacant home on the East Side was destroyed in a fire late Thursday.

Crews were called to 1036 Berkley Ave. about 10:15 p.m. and found the home in flames. Firefighters allowed the home to burn down and protected neighboring homes, reports said.

Damage is listed at $8,000. There were no injuries. The cause is listed as arson.

Apartment-building fire ruled accidental

YOUNGSTOWN

Fire reports said a blaze that started at a 162 Dennick Ave. apartment building about 4 p.m. Thursday was accidental.

Crews who arrived found a fire in the back bedroom of an apartment. Reports said the fire started on a mattress by someone burning incense.

Damage is listed at $4,000. There were no injuries.

Burglary charge

WARREN

Bond was set at $175,000 for Darren S. Howell Jr., 21, of Atlantic Street Northeast, when he was arraigned Thursday on an aggravated-burglary charge in Warren Municipal Court.

A not-guilty plea was entered for Howell to the charge, which stems from a report from a man, 25, in the 700 block of Elm Road who said he was robbed by two masked men at 10 p.m. Sunday. The victim said the two men knocked him to the ground as he turned the key to open a door to his home.

One of the men pistol-whipped him, and both men further assaulted him and demanded money, though none was taken.

The men ran off toward the railroad tracks near Elm Road when other family members arrived, he said.

3 face drug charges

CAMPBELL

City police arrested three Youngstown men on drug-related charges Thursday evening.

Antoine Springs, 27, Charles Thomas, 25, and Patrick Howard Jr., 29, are charged with drug possession and drug paraphernalia. All were taken to Campbell City Jail pending a court appearance Tuesday.

Thomas and Howard were passengers with Springs in his vehicle, which was pulled over on a traffic stop on Fairview Street. Police found 27.2 grams of suspected marijuana and a digital scale in the vehicle.

Man, 26, arrested

BOARDMAN

A Youngstown man faces charges of aggravated burglary, obstructing justice, and fleeing and eluding after U.S. marshals arrested him on Boardman warrants Thursday.

Police say Albert Coffer Jr., 26, of Logan Avenue, forced his way into a Shields Road apartment April 12, assaulted a woman and stole her phone. An officer then was injured while trying to catch Coffer, according to a police report.

The aggravated-burglary charge is a first-degree felony. Coffer is in the Mahoning County jail without bond.

Food giveaway set

YOUNGSTOWN

The East Side Crime Watch, 1001 Oak St., will have a food and clothing giveaway from 10 a.m. to noon today. Participants are urged to bring bags and identification.

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