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Several people cited downtown for drinking, criminal damaging
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Reports said Paul Harcar and Royce Taylor offered to give the city a free mural downtown when they were caught Friday night drawing graffiti on a downtown building.
Instead, a police officer rejected their offer and they got citations and a court date.
The pair were among several people cited for open drinking or other offenses as the city is trying to crack down on loitering and panhandling downtown.
Lt. Frank Rutherford was on foot patrol about 7:20 p.m. when he spotted Harcar, 42 and Taylor, 36, both of New Castle, Pa., in the rear of the old Cedars Lounge, 131 W. Commerce St., where police have received a lot of complaints about people drinking and doing drugs.
Reports said Taylor had a marker in his hand and was drawing several symbols on the door, such as a peace symbol and the words “THC,” which is often associated with marijuana use.
Reports said Harcar told Rutherford the two also had drawn graffiti on the building’s front door the night before, and they also offered to draw a mural for free on a building downtown. Taylor said he was a graffiti artist who studies graffiti art from New York, reports said.
When asked if they had any weapons, Taylor said he had a knife.
The officer issued both men citations for criminal damaging. Taylor got an additional citation for possession of marijuana. They were both released and arraigned Monday in municipal court Monday and given trial dates.
Also, about 4:30 p.m. Friday, police cited two people for open-container offenses and arrested a woman on a felony possession of cocaine charge after receiving a complaint of people gathering underneath the Market Street bridge near Emily Street.
Cited were John Brown, 32, of Parkgate Avenue and Robert Reed, 54, of Risher Road. Arrested on the cocaine charge was Deanna Shane, 45, of South Richview Avenue, after police found suspected crack cocaine in a purse she was carrying. Shane was taken to the Mahoning County jail. Brown and Reed were issued citations and released.
At her arraignment Monday in municipal court, city Prosecutor Dana Lantz told Magistrate Anthony Sertick that Shane has a criminal record dating back to 1991. She has served prison stints of nine months and three years in separate cases. Sertick set her bond at $10,000.
About 5:25 p.m. Friday, Roger Vinton, 27, of Monroe Street, also was cited for open container after an officer found him with a can of beer in a parking lot at Hazel and Front streets. He was also released with a court date.