Onlookers suspected of taking drugs, gun thrown from fleeing car

YOUNGSTOWN — Reports said onlookers are suspected of taking a gun and a bag of suspected drugs Sunday that were thrown from the passenger’s side of a car that was fleeing police on the South Side.

Keith Jones, 32, of Market Street, is expected to be arraigned later today in municipal court on charges of tampering with evidence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine while the driver of the car, Jermaine Beverly, 27, also of Market Street, is expected to be arraigned on charges of fleeing and eluding and driving under suspension.

An officer tried to pull the car over about 7:25 p.m. after he heard music from a distance so loud that it vibrated his rear view mirror, reports said. Reports said when the car passed, the officer tried to stop it and it stopped briefly on Hilton before pulling away.

As the officer followed the car, reports said the person in the passenger, Jones, threw a gun out the window, and then two plastic bags at two different times.

The car finally stopped in the 100 block of East Lucius Avenue, where both men were taken into custody.

Several people were outside watching and when police went back to retrieve the items tossed from the car they could only find one of the plastic bags.

Reports said witnesses told police a man ran out of a home on Hilton Avenue, picked up the gun and ran back inside.