Fight at IHM Festival leads to charges for several

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

A township woman was arraigned Monday for assaulting a police officer Saturday at a parish picnic where a large fight took place.

Michelle A. Murphy, 21, of Erie Street, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of inducing panic, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct (failed to desist) in Mahoning County Area Court.

She has a trial date set for July 8 on the misdemeanor charges and a preliminary hearing on the felony charge of assault on a police officer.

Also charged are George J. Huston, 18, of Schenley Avenue, inciting violence and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, and Jonathon Daviduk, 18, of North Belle Vista Avenue, Youngstown, disorderly conduct. Huston and Daviduk pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Monday.

Two juveniles also were charged in the fight, one with felony assault of a police officer and the other with disorderly conduct.

According to a police report, Detective Kathy Dina was working the Immaculate Heart of Mary Festival on Saturday on Norquest Boulevard when she was notified of an incident. She and Mahoning County Deputy Ronald DeAmicis arrived at the area of the bumper cars, where there was “what looked like at least a hundred individuals,” the report said.

She saw what looked like a group of people congratulating a male on a fight.

Dina grabbed that male’s arm to talk with him when Murphy grabbed his arm and would not let go. DeAmicis attempted to take Murphy from the festival, and Murphy began to fight DeAmicis, Dina wrote.

Dina then saw a male grab DeAmicis from behind, and she assisted him.

More officers arrived to quell the disturbance. The report said the fight was believed to have started after a male used a racial slur against a juvenile male.