Woman likely to face several charges today in Warren crash

Staff report

WARREN

A woman accused of crashing into three cars Tuesday, including a Warren police cruiser, was arraigned Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge.

Chelsie Spelich, 20, of Summerville, S.C., and Rosegarden Drive in Howland, is being held in the Trumbull County Jail without eligibility to make bond until another hearing today.

The reason she was not allowed bond is she is considered a risk to try to flee the area and not come to court, according to court records.

She pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Warren Municipal Court to possession of drug paraphernalia but is expected to face additional charges related to the crash.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated, said it was planning to file charges of operating a motor vehicle impaired, failure to stop after an accident, and failure to maintain assured clear distance.

Warren police officer Chris Martin, Spelich and another driver were treated for minor injuries in the 7:40 a.m. crash at the intersection of Summit Street and Tod Avenue Northwest.

Police said after Spelich hit the back of one of the cars, which were all stopped at a traffic light, she fled the scene. Hitting one of the cars caused a chain-reaction of damage.

The paraphernalia charge resulted from a Warren police officer finding a marijuana pipe in a makeup purse in Spelich’s car when police found her crashed into a fence on Pacific Place Northwest a short time after the initial crash.

Warren police said Spelich also may face additional charges because of her behavior at ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital as she was being treated for an unspecified medical condition after the crashes.

A Warren police officer reported that Spelich kicked a security officer at the hospital in the side of the head, knocking off his glasses. The officer suffered a minor injury.

Police also said Spelich’s mother reported that the car Spelich was driving at the time of the crashes was taken from her mother’s house on Ivy Circle in Bazetta Township without permission.