METRO DIGEST || Plea agreement

Plea agreement

YOUNGSTOWN

The former head of the city firefighters’ union has up to two years to repay money he pleaded guilty to taking from its treasury, according to a plea agreement in a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Under Wednesday’s agreement before Judge Shirley Christian, Destry Rush, 46, of Nadyne Drive, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, and if he repays the money he was accused of taking, the charge will be dismissed.

A court spokesman said Rush is expected to repay $70,000 of what he took Friday. He was indicted on the charge Aug. 14. He was accused of taking between $7,500 and $150,000 from the union between Jan. 1, 2008, and April 14, 2014, the day he resigned as a captain in the fire department.

Crash probe

YOUNGSTOWN

Police say they are looking at excessive speed as the main factor in a one-car accident about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday that killed Skylur Hamrick, 20, of Poland.

Reports said Hamrick was driving north on Interstate 680 when he lost control of his Dodge Challenger, which slammed into a bridge abutment and was cut in half.

Lt. William Ross of the Accident Investigation Unit said he would be meeting with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to see if the car’s data recorder – or “black box” – could tell investigators at what speed the car was traveling or if there was anything else wrong with the vehicle.

Ross said there are no indications drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident.

New firefighters

YOUNGSTOWN

Three new city firefighters will be sworn in by Mayor John A. McNally at 9 a.m. today at Fire Station No. 1 downtown. They are Patrick McGlone, Samuel Congemi and Dwyain Montgomery.

They’ll fill shortages created by recent retirements and return the department to a staff of 130. The new firefighters will begin their assignments on firetrucks this weekend.

Elections board

WARREN

The Trumbull County Board of Elections meets in special session at 4 p.m. today at the board’s offices, 2947 Youngstown Road SE.

Streets closed

WARREN

Streets in Warren will be closed Saturday to accommodate two separate events.

The St. Paul Lutheran Church Bike-a-Thon will close Central Parkway at East Market Street and South Street Southeast from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A car cruise and fundraiser will close West Market Street from Caesars Restaurant to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More Digest on A9