Woman scammed

Woman scammed

AUSTINTOWN

A township woman lost more than $76,000 in a scam. Austintown police were called to the Sandburg Drive home of the woman Friday on a theft of $76,973.

She said she received a call Sept. 2 that her cousin had been involved in a traffic crash in Mexico and that the cousin had hit a diplomat and a 4-year-old child.

The woman then wired $2,008 on two separate days for bail money. There was an additional call that said the bail money was higher because the 4-year-old had died and $37,465 was needed Sept. 4. Then, a fourth call was made and that person said that they did not approve the previous bail amount and an additional $37,500 was needed for her cousin’s release. The woman sent that money Sept. 11 and was told Sept. 18 that she had done everything needed for bail.

She talked to her cousin Friday and the cousin told the woman he was not in an accident in Mexico.

Drug charges

CANFIELD

A deputy with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office found 11 needles, 10 of them used, and a burnt spoon inside a car in the 6300 block of St. Andrews Drive about 3:05 p.m. Friday.

A deputy was called because of a person who had been sitting in an SUV in front of an office. The person who called 911 thought the woman in the vehicle was under the influence of drugs.

When the deputy arrived he found Melissa Berry, 32, of South Meridian Road, Youngstown, sitting in the SUV smoking a cigarette. After she blew smoke in the deputy’s face, he asked her to step out of the SUV, and she gave him permission to search inside. The needles and spoon were found inside a makeup kit that was in the center console, reports said.

Berry was given citations involving possession of drug-abuse instruments and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sobriety checks

CANFIELD

Members of the Mahoning County Operating a Vehicle while Impaired Task Force with the Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted two sobriety checkpoints in Boardman on Friday, resulting in two OVI arrests.

The checkpoints were on South Avenue at Larkridge Avenue and on U.S. Route 224 at Marinthana Avenue.

A total of 439 vehicles went through the checkpoints; 14 were directed into the diversion area for further investigation. Officers conducting saturation patrols in support of the checkpoints conducted 25 traffic stops.

The checkpoints also yielded: seven summonses for driving under suspension, four for no operator’s license, one for open container and one for drug abuse; five citations for adult restraint, one for fictitious plates, one for expired registration, two for speed, one for two headlights required, one for display of plates and one for defective exhaust; and one arrest for endangering children.

Paving work

COLUMBIANA

Spot paving work is set to begin next week across four eastern Ohio counties.

Work will include sections of multiple state routes; locally, this includes U.S. Route 30 and state Route 7 and 170 in Columbiana County.

Work is expected to begin Monday in Tuscarawas County, and work in Columbiana will follow. Traffic will be maintained with flaggers.

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