Police say child fell out of stolen car

Driver faces multiple charges in Austintown and Youngstown

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Township police chased a man charged with stealing his girlfriend’s car into Youngstown on Monday night, where city police saw a child fall out of his car.

Mister Jackson, 31, of Youngstown, is accused of taking his girlfriend’s Oldsmobile Aurora after she called police during an argument. Police located a car matching the description and attempted to make a traffic stop as it turned from Wickliffe Circle onto Mahoning Avenue.

The driver pulled over and then fled when the officer stepped out of the car, according to the report. Township police ended the chase shortly after the vehicle entered Youngstown. The officer in pursuit said the suspect got on Interstate 680 via the Mahoning Avenue ramp. Youngstown police continued the pursuit.

Jackson had a child in the car, according to Youngstown police, and the 6-year-old hung from the car before falling from the vehicle. Jackson reportedly abandoned the car on Rutledge Avenue and fled on foot. Officers found him at his grandmother’s house on Forest Avenue, according to the report.

He called his girlfriend during the chase and allegedly told her it was her fault for calling the police during the domestic dispute.

Jackson was charged with theft, failure to comply and child endangerment by Austintown and with fleeing and eluding and child endangerment by Youngstown. He is being held in Mahoning County jail and will appear in Mahoning County Area Court here today.

The child’s grandparent said she would return the child to his mother.