Cops fear juvenile escapee may try to harm himself

YOUNGSTOWN

Officials say they are concerned a 17-year-old aggravated-robbery suspect who escaped detention Wednesday morning may try to harm himself.

Police, court staff, and deputies from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office searched throughout the day for Jeremy Britton, 17, who officials said scaled a 20-foot fence topped with razor wire early Wednesday morning in an outdoor recreation area at the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center on Scott Street. He then climbed a second standard-sized fence also topped with razor wire to escape.

As law enforcement personnel searched for Britton on several North Side streets because his family lives there, they got word a car was stolen in a strong-armed robbery on Adams Street by someone thought to be Britton.

Officers found the car and chased it in the McGuffey Road area on the East Side at speeds at times at 100 mph.

City police called off their pursuit, but they hung back and watched as deputies chased the car to a set of railroad tracks on Hubbard Road. There, the stolen car drove down the gravel rail bed and was abandoned on Logangate Drive. Police, including those from Hubbard, scoured the woods for any sign of Britton, but could not find him.

A Youngstown police dog also searched several wooded areas but there was no sign of Britton.

The car he took was towed for evidence.

Juvenile Court Magistrate Carla Baldwin said JJC staff are concerned that Britton may harm himself because of information they received since he escaped.

Read more about the situation in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.