Two cited by YPD on drug charges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police cited a man who said he wanted to take a nap in a vacant home on drug charges, and another man who has eight open suspensions on his license.

Officers were called just before 2 p.m. Monday to the first block of West Florida Avenue for a report of a man who was entering a vacant building. Reports said when they arrived, there was no one in the home, but they spotted a man later identified as Hiram Urrutia, 27, who matched the description of the person they were looking for, walking away.

Reports said Urrutia told police he was homeless and he had been inside the vacant home because he was looking for a place to take a nap. Officers searched a backpack he was carrying after he told police he had needles inside and officers found three needles and a burnt spoon with suspected heroin residue on it.

Urrutia was taken to the Mahoning County jail on charges of possession of drug-abuse instruments and possession of drug paraphernalia but later was released on a summons.

About 11:40 p.m., officers pulled over a car driven by Phillip Hardy, 24, of West Judson Avenue, after reports said it ran a stop sign and was traveling very fast. Police caught up to the car at Market Street and Myrtle Avenue.

Reports said police could smell a strong odor of marijuana from inside the car, and Hardy told officers he had no driver’s license. A records check found Hardy has eight open suspensions on his license. Police searched the car and found a plastic bag with 20 pills inside, reports said, a bottle of cough syrup, three bags of suspected marijuana and a jar filled with suspected marijuana.

Hardy was issued citations for possession of drugs, possession of marijuana and driving under suspension and released at the scene.