METRO DIGEST || Arrested in beating of woman

Arrested in beating

YOUNGSTOWN

Police have in custody a man suspected of beating a 64-year-old woman about 7:45 p.m. Sunday in her home in the 2100 block of Bott Street.

Police arrested Timothy Leshon Smith, 36, who is not from Ohio, at the Western Reserve Transit Authority station downtown late Monday afternoon, said Chief of Detectives Capt. Brad Blackburn.

The victim told police a man got inside her garage then forced his way inside her East Side home and beat her in front of her grandchildren, one of whom called 911. When police got to the home, the man was gone, reports said.

The woman was taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be treated for her injuries. Blackburn said she is in stable condition.

Blackburn said the woman was able to give a statement and was able to identify Smith as her attacker. Blackburn said the victim is Smith’s aunt.

Schools chief to resign

BELOIT

The West Branch school board will have a special meeting at 4 p.m. today in the high-school media room, 14277 Main St.

The board is expected to accept the resignation of Superintendent Doug Phillips, whom the board hired in August. He will leave to take a position within the football program at Iowa State University. His resignation will be effective Thursday.

The board is also expected to name Scott Weingart as interim superintendent for the remainder of the 2015-16 school year, effective Friday. Weingart had served 11 years as school superintendent. He retired in August and was replaced by Phillips. Since his retirement, Weingart has been working part time in curriculum and staff development for the West Branch schools.

Fatal accident probed

BRISTOL

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal traffic accident on state Route 45 at the intersection of Hyde Oakfield Road in Bristol Township at 12:45 a.m. Monday.

A pedestrian, Nathan Byler, 22, from Middlefield, was running on Hyde Oakfield approaching the intersection of Route 45.

A van, driven by Jonathan Pupin, 26, of Warren, was northbound on Route 45 approaching the intersection of Hyde Oakfield. Byler entered the intersection and was struck by the van.

He was taken to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later. The van driver had minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

Low water pressure

MINERAL RIDGE

Mineral Ridge water customers may experience low water pressure Wednesday from 8 a.m. until about 4 to 6 p.m. after a valve and meter are replaced, the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer’s Office said in a news release.

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