METRO DIGEST || Assault on high school bus

Assault on school bus

BOARDMAN

Two teens face multiple charges after being accused of assaulting a juvenile on a school bus.

The suspects, 16 and 17, both of whom were in foster care, are charged with one count each of felony disrupting public services and misdemeanor assault after they were arrested Tuesday. The 17-year-old suspect also is charged with menacing, a misdemeanor.

The charges stem from a May 5 incident in which the suspects are accused of assaulting a victim on a Mahoning County High School bus. The menacing charge stems from a threat police say the suspect made to the bus driver.

The case is being handled through the county juvenile court.

Drug arrests on road

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested two people Tuesday in separate traffic stops on drug charges,

Dawna Sayers, 32, of Burbank Avenue, was taken to the Mahoning County jail on a charge of possession of heroin after she was arrested in front of a home in the 1000 block of High Street at about 3:20 p.m. She was a passenger in a car pulled over for an improper turn. The driver told police Sayers had heroin, and Sayers admitted it, reports said.

Arrested on charges of possession of heroin and possession of dangerous drugs about 6 p.m. in the 1800 block of Mahoning Avenue was David Pope, 57, of Oneta Avenue.

Reports said officers stopped Pope when they spotted him because he was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month on unrelated charges.

At the jail, reports said, officers searched Pope and found a bag with three grams of heroin inside, 27 assorted pills, a suboxone strip and some Xanax, as well as almost $1,800 in cash.

House fire

YOUNGSTOWN

Fire reports said smoke awoke a person at a 431 West Heights Ave. home which caught fire at about 5:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Crews that arrived found flames showing in a bedroom on the side of the home. Reports said the homeowner told firefighters he was using a space heater in the bedroom where the fire broke out. Reports pointed to the space heater as the cause.

Fire damage was limited to the bedroom, but there was smoke damage throughout the home, reports said. Loss is listed at $18,000. No one was injured.

Three injured in fire

AUSTINTOWN

A township police officer and two firefighters were injured after a residential fire Tuesday. Austintown firefighters were called to 2307 S. Turner Road about 5 p.m. Tuesday by a township police officer, said fire Chief Andy Frost III. That officer was treated for smoke inhalation Tuesday at an area hospital.

“He did a real nice job verifying the house was empty but took in a lot of smoke [doing] that,” Frost said of the officer. Crews left the residence at about 7:25 p.m. Tuesday. Two firefighters went to the hospital with fire-related medical conditions, Frost said.

The homeowners were not home at the time. The damage estimate was $75,000. Frost said most of the attic was gone because the fire was concentrated there.

Brother charged

BOARDMAN

A township teen faces a felony assault charge after his brother, 18, reported to police that the suspect hit him with brass knuckles.

Police responded to a Jaronte Drive residence Tuesday in reference to a fight between two brothers, according to a police report.

The suspect, 15, reportedly struck his brother after the two got into an argument about the suspect wearing his brother’s clothes. Police found the brass knuckles and observed minor injuries to the victim’s face.

The suspect is charged with domestic violence and felonious assault. He was taken to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

4th suspect surrenders

WARREN

A fourth suspect in two gas-station robberies surrendered to authorities.

Carlos Bell, 33, of Oregon Avenue Northwest, surrendered Tuesday to the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force at the Trumbull County Jail, according 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

Bell was wanted on three counts of felonious assault and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm related to a May 1 East Market Street BP gas station robbery. He also had a warrant for assault out of Niles.

Robbed by machete

WARREN

A customer of Circle K, 606 North Park Ave., was robbed by a man holding a large machete at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday as he left the store.

The victim, 47, of Warren, said the suspect was tall, in his 30s, wearing a green-hooded sweatshirt. He got $50 from the victim as a second man appeared to be holding a small club. He was short and wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt.

The two ran, and the victim chased them in his vehicle to an address on Waverly Avenue Northeast and called 911. Police arrived at the building, which had about 10 apartments in it, but the suspect was not found.

Wild Animal Show

WARREN

Signature HealthCARE of Warren, 2473 North Road NE, is hosting the “All Things Wild Animal Show” at 3 p.m. today at its long-term care center. The public is invited.

The animal show brings unique animals to special events. The audience will get a close look at a giant waterbug, hissing cockroach, leopard gecko, boa constrictor, turtles, chinchilla and more. Animals experts Pat Inquita and Will Thacker will be on hand to answer questions.

On Friday at 3 p.m., Signature will host the “Music Together” program with guest artist Gina Fire instructing residents and all families with children in a hands-on experimental music class, teaching participants how to use music and movement to enhance life. Children of all ages are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

For information, contact Maureen McCarty at 330-372-2251 or 310-948-8862.

Stabbing slices kidney

NILES

A not-guilty plea was entered earlier this week in Niles Municipal Court for Charles Fearer, 23, of Clinton Avenue, to a charge of felonious assault.

Police said a Tallmadge man, 30, arrived at the drive-thru window of the Sunoco gas station, 501 Vienna Ave., at 6:06 a.m. Saturday, reporting that he had been stabbed.

When police arrived, several men at the gas station pointed to an intersection nearby, where Fearer was standing and said he was the person who stabbed the victim.

Fearer was taken into custody.

Police said they went to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to talk to the victim, but were unable to because he was being prepared for surgery to treat a lacerated kidney.

Fearer was released from the Trumbull County jail Tuesday after posting $7,500 bond.

Possible house arson

BOARDMAN

Township police and fire officials are investigating a possible arson.

Officials responded to an Oregon Trail home at about 5 p.m. Tuesday for a call about an attached garage that was on fire, according to a police report.

No one was injured and the fire did not spread to the house.

Officials say the fire began in the center of the garage.

“With no obvious or suspected cause of the fire, it is believed the fire may have been intentionally set,” the report reads.

Park vendors chosen

WARREN

The Trumbull County MetroParks Board has selected two vendors to operate food carts in two park areas.

Rob Dawg’s Chow Cart and Mansfield Concessions LLC will be starting to appear at Sunside Trailhead on state Route 305 in Champion and Clarence Darrow MetroPark on Educational Highway in Champion on Saturday, said Zachary Svette, operations director for the MetroParks. A kickoff event for the service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sunside Trailhead.