METRO DIGEST || Pedestrian hit on Meridian

Pedestrian hit

AUSTINTOWN

A Youngstown man, Frank Puli Jr., 61, remained in St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital on Tuesday after being hit by a vehicle at about 9 p.m. Monday while standing in the southbound lane of Meridian Road, south of Leharps Drive.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said that neither the driver of the vehicle, Cachet Murray, 29, of Austintown, nor a passenger in her car, were injured.

The incident is under investigation by the OSHP.

Vienna break-in

GIRARD

Roy D. Baker, 49, of Thompson Clark Road in Bristolville, was arraigned Monday in Girard Municipal Court on charges of attempted burglary, disorderly conduct and criminal damaging after a Vienna Township woman reported that Baker tried to break into her Scoville Drive house Friday night.

No plea was entered on the attempted burglary, but Baker pleaded not guilty to the two misdemeanor charges, and Judge Jeff Adler set bond at $5,000, plus house arrest and prohibited any contact with the victim.

The woman called a friend, who called 911 at 10:45 p.m., saying the victim locked herself in the bathroom because Baker had just kicked in the door.

Baker had lived temporarily at her house but was intoxicated that night, and she didn’t want him there. Baker was in the driveway when police arrived and was taken into custody without incident.

Payments approved

BOARDMAN

Township trustees moved forward with the township’s land reutilization program at Monday’s meeting by approving creation of a program website. The land bank, which is getting ready to put up for sale properties for the first time, acquires abandoned, tax-foreclosed properties, demolishes any structures on them and seeks to put them back to a productive use.

Trustees approved a $4,594 payment to Farris Marketing of Youngstown for creation of the website, and also approved renewal of its engineering agreement – under which the township agrees to pay up to $5,000 for services it uses next year – with MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown.

Open burning charge

NEWTON FALLS

William R. Neal, 47, of Anderson Anthony Road in Leavittsburg, was arraigned Monday in Newton Falls Municipal Court on a felony charge of open burning, accused of having a fire at his house Dec. 10 that caught the woods on fire and destroyed his garage.

Neal said he thought he was allowed to burn debris on his property, but a deputy with the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office informed him that his fire was illegal.

It included remnants of a couch or reclining chair, mattress, household trash and processed wood, the deputy said. Braceville firefighters extinguished the fire.

Neal was released on a personal-recognizance bond after being booked into the Trumbull County jail. He returns to court Tuesday.

Armed robbery foiled

WARREN

The owner of 960 Mahoning Quick Shop, 960 Mahoning Ave. NW, refused to give two masked males money from the cash register Monday afternoon, despite one of them pointing two handguns in his face.

The store manager said he “put his hand under the counter ... and the two males took off on foot eastbound on Atlantic Street.”

The males were captured on video surveillance footage at 4:16 p.m. outside of the store and are then seen running into the store and trying to rob the owner.

Police spoke with juveniles in a house on nearby Freeman Street a short time later. Police went there because they saw two males run into the house shortly after the incident.

Belligerent arrest

WARREN

Tamika L. Berry, 36, of Althea Avenue Northwest, was released from the Trumbull County jail Tuesday after posting $2,500 bond, charged with felonious assault, inducing panic and misdemeanor assault Monday at the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services offices, 280 North Park Ave.

Deputies working security responded to a fight among two females in the front lobby at around noon. The victim, 37, suffered a laceration to her head. Deputies asked Berry to sit down, but she walked out of the building and kicked a deputy in the leg. A deputy took her to the jail across the street, and she screamed continuously.

A not-guilty plea was entered for her on the felony charge, and she pleaded not guilty to the two misdemeanor charges.