Cops: Two women try to break into house, man tries to bribe cops

April 30, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Police said two women tried to break into a South Side home Thursday to fight other women inside.

Also, a man who interfered with police trying to question them also offered a bribe to a police officer, a report says.

Leona Scott, 37, and Leasia Scott, 19, were each booked into the Mahoning County jail on charges of burglary.

Jose Valentin III, 20, was booked into the jail on charges of resisting arrest, obstructing official business and drug paraphernalia.

Police were called about 8:10 p.m. to the 400 block of Ferndale Avenue for a report of a large fight. When officer Mohammad Awad arrived, he saw a group of women walking away from a house. Awad went to the home and talked to two women there, who told them they were inside when the Scotts came onto their porch and tried to get inside.

In front of the door, Awad found a brick, a tire iron and several empty plastic water bottles, reports said. He went to the home next door because that is where the group of women went to when he arrived, reports said.

Reports said when Awad approached the house and asked to talk to one of the Scotts, Valentin was pushing the women inside.

Then, when Awad walked onto the porch and tried to talk to one of them, Valentin reached an arm out to bar his way, reports said.

Awad then took Valentin into custody. Reports said Valentin tried several times to break away from Awad before he was handcuffed. A large crowd had gathered.

Awad then returned to the home where the victims were. They told him the Scotts broke out the glass of the front door with the brick, threw bleach on them from the plastic bottles and tried to hit them through the broken glass with the tire iron.

When Awad was ready to take Valentin to the jail, reports said Valentin asked him if the officer could “let it slide.” When Awad said no, Valentin said, “I’ll give you a couple of bucks,” reports said.

A juvenile was also taken into custody; she was taken to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.