Man drives away with gas pump, pater arrested for OVI, CCW

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Beachwood Avenue man is in the Mahoning County jail after reports said he drove away from a Market Street gas station Sunday afternoon with a hose from a gasoline pump attached to his car.

David Blackmon, 39, is expected to be arraigned today in municipal court on a felony charge of vandalism, plus charges of resisting arrest, carrying concealed weapons and operating a vehicle impaired.

Reports said officer Joe Burnich was at the Shell gas station about 4:10 p.m. at 504 E. Midlothian Blvd. when he was approached by a store employee who said a man tried to pay for gas with a counterfeit $10 bill, and when the employee said she would not take the bill, he drove off with the hose to the gas pump still attached.

Reports said Burnich left to look for the car and when he came back several minutes later, the car, with Blackmon driving, was back at the gas station. Reports did not say if the gas hose was still attached to the car.

At first, Blackmon did not want to get out of the car when asked but did, reports said. When he was told he was being arrested, Blackmon tensed up and would not put his hands behind his back, reports said.

The two struggled and fell to the ground until Blackmon was warned he would be stunned with an electronic stun weapon. He then put his hands behind his back, reports said. When he was searched, police found a knife on him, reports said.

Inside the car officers found an open bottle of vodka, but when asked about it, reports said Blackmon went on a tirade, saying he was in the military and claiming he was disrespected.

Reports said he smelled heavily of alcohol, so he was taken to the police department so a blood-alcohol test could be performed, but after several attempts he refused to take test, reports said.