Judge orders evaluation


Judge orders evaluation

WARREN

A judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Arthur A. Harper, who filed a motion Monday seeking a determination of whether he is competent to stand trial in the Nov. 30 death of his common-law wife’s son, Russell Cottrill, 3.

Harper, 44, of High Street Northeast, is charged with murder, child endangering and felonious assault in the boy’s death.

The court will notify the Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio in Austintown, and the agency will evaluate Harper to determine whether he understands the legal proceedings he faces and can aid in his defense.

Harper called 911 at 6:38 p.m. Nov. 28 to report that Russell was unresponsive. The boy died two days later in a Cleveland hospital after what Warren police called “severe head trauma.”

Russell’s mother said Harper moved into her house with Russell several months earlier and was her common-law husband.

3 men arrested

AUSTINTOWN

Officers arrested three men accused of using a saw to steal car parts.

According to a police report, Officer Dominic Cicozi questioned three men who appeared to be changing a tire in a North Meridian Road parking lot late Friday night.

Upon investigation, Cicozi said three catalytic converters were in the car’s trunk, in addition to a saw matching the cut marks on the converters.

Officers arrested Kali Robinson, 23, and Darrell Boykins, 32, both of Cleveland, and Joseph Huff, 22, of Elyria. They are charged with theft and possessing criminal tools. After their arraignments Monday afternoon, they were given a pretrial hearing date for 3 p.m. May 9 in Mahoning County Area Court here.

Man pleads guilty

CORTLAND

Anthony R. Landman, 21, of McMyler Street Northwest in Warren, pleaded guilty Monday to robbery related to the theft of $383 in merchandise from the Bazetta Township Walmart on April 20, 2015.

Landman and Marlon A. Swiggett Sr., 27, of a different McMyler Street Northwest address and Hollywood Avenue in Youngstown, were both charged after security officers said they fled from the store after being detained in the security office.

Swiggett purportedly grabbed a female security officer who was in the doorway and threw her into a filing cabinet, police said.

Landman will be sentenced in about four weeks, after the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department conducts a pre-sentence investigation. Swiggett pleaded guilty to robbery earlier and will be sentenced today.

Cheeseburger Challenge

YOUNGSTOWN

The Burger Guyz Cheeseburger Challenge continued Monday night with only four restaurants left. The battle for Mahoning County came down to Magic Tree Pub & Eatery in Boardman versus Yolo Grille of Austintown. Burger flavor, bun and toppings were the main categories to judge. Magic Tree won 3-0 to move to the finals.

Watch the Vindy Facebook and Twitter pages for updates as the Cheeseburger Championship will be take place Thursday afternoon.

Special meeting

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Board of Elections will have a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today in the board room of the office at Oak-hill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave.

Officers find rabbits

NEWTON FALLS

Officers found 14 dead and eight live rabbits in a wooded area off Hewitt Gifford Road in Newton Township over the weekend.

Greg Miller, co-founder of the Trumbull Animal Cruelty Task Force, said a Friday call from a neighbor about someone dumping live rabbits on the side of Hewitt Gifford Road resulted in an ongoing investigation.

Miller encourages people with information about whoever dumped the animals to call the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office at 330-675-2730 or Miller at 330-501-7536.

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