Man holding gun runs from cops, is caught

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Reports said a city police officer had to pry a gun out of a man’s hands Wednesday, as he ran when police tried to pull him over for an improper turn.

Dustin Greenwalt, 29, of Truesdale Avenue, was booked into the Mahoning County jail on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest, driving under suspension, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and possession of cocaine. He is expected to be arraigned in municipal court today.

Reports said officer Marcin Stachowicz tried to pull over a car Greenwalt was driving about 9 p.m. on South Avenue for an improper turn.

But reports said the car would not stop, and Greenwalt drove to a drive in the 300 block of East Judson Avenue, jumped out and began running away with Stachowicz chasing him on foot. Stachowicz eventually caught up with him and tackled him.

Reports said Greenwalt was holding a .38-caliber revolver while he was running, and he would not get rid of the gun when he was tackled until Stachowicz was able to wrest it out of his hands. Reports said the gun had three spent shell casings in the cylinder and three live rounds. Greenwalt also had two bags of crack cocaine on him when he was searched, reports said.

When he was questioned by police, Greenwalt said the gun was not his and he ran because he panicked when he saw the police were after him. Greenwalt told officers he had the gun while he was running because he wanted to throw it away.

The gun taken from Greenwalt is the 38th seized by police this year, according to Vindicator files.