Grand jury refuses to indict teen on aggravated vehicular assault

Staff report

WARREN

A Trumbull County grand jury indicted Ranyia J. Miller, 18, of Ogden Avenue Northwest on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in a Sept. 7 incident near a bring-your-own-bottle club on West Market Street.

The grand jury refused to indict Miller on several more-serious charges — two felony counts of aggravated vehicular assault. The grand jury also refused to indict her on a misdemeanor charge of driving alone on a temporary permit.

Police said Miller struck a 20-year-old Warren woman and 21-year-old Fairport Harbor man with the vehicle she was driving at 4:59 a.m. near the Boogie Down Club, 2382 W. Market St. Both suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospitals.

Police said they don’t think Miller was attempting to hit the two people, but she was charged because she was believed to be intoxicated at the time.

The grand jury also indicted Steven Thomas Jr., 18, of South Feederle Avenue Southwest on two counts of aggravated robbery that could result in a prison sentence of more than 20 years.

One of the charges resulted from an Oct. 30 armed robbery of a cab driver on Southern Boulevard Southwest.

The driver said he went to the 600 block of Southern about 10 p.m. to pick up a customer. Thomas walked from across the street and got into the cab. While the driver was talking to him, Thomas pulled out a handgun and demanded the driver’s cash, which he received, then fled on foot, police said.

Melvin V. White, 52, of Bane Street in Warren Township was indicted on a felony charge of importuning, accused of grabbing a juvenile female at a restaurant in the Eastwood Mall complex in Niles in November and holding her in a bear hug while making sexual comments to her.

White let go of the girl after the girl’s male friend intervened, Niles police said. White was convicted of committing public indecency in Niles in June.