Ramos case sent to grand jury

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The subject of a manhunt waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday on weapon charges.

The charges in municipal court against Luis Cruz Ramos, 30, were bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury.

Ramos was shot in the leg April 1 by authorities after he eluded police for more than a day after a massive chase that began in Campbell.

He was indicted last week on 13 charges pertaining to that chase, including 10 counts of felonious assault on a police officer. He was arraigned on those charges in common pleas court as well Wednesday. Bond on those charges was set at $5 million.

During his municipal court appearance, Ramos, who was shot by U.S. marshals when he was caught on Maywood Drive, was wincing in pain and blood was leaking through his jail coveralls. The charges Ramos faced Wednesday, carrying concealed weapons and being a felon in possession of a firearm, came from his capture.

Ramos went from Campbell to Boardman, back to Campbell, and then got on the freeway before ditching his van on Interstate 680 south in Boardman and bailing out near Lake Park Cemetery, police said.

The chase began early March 31 when Campbell police tried to stop him for a probation violation on a charge from Puerto Rico.

He initially became the subject of police attention when Campbell police received a call from his girlfriend from Philadelphia who told them she left him a month ago because Ramos was holding her against her will in the Murray Avenue home they shared. Police soon learned he was wanted on a rape warrant out of Puerto Rico.

A search of the cemetery and surrounding area found no sign of Ramos, who was spotted April 1 walking on the South Side.

Officers shot Ramos after he pulled a gun on them, authorities said.