Teen charged with Feb. 6 shooting of woman in her Youngstown driveway

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A 14-year-old is in custody on a charge of attempted murder in the robbery and shooting of a woman in a South Side driveway last month.

Detective Sgt. Michael Lambert, lead investigator on the case, said the teen surrendered to police about 3:30 p.m. Saturday with his mother present. The teen, whose name was not disclosed, is now in the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

Lambert said the teen is not from the Powersdale Avenue neighborhood, where the shooting took place, but he is from the South Side.

The victim, Ellen Zban, 57, was shot Feb. 6 as she was reaching for her purse in her car after she came home.

Reports said Zban told police a man approached her car and demanded her wallet. Before she could give it to him, he shot her and ran off.

A neighbor, Chris Donlow, heard gunshots, went outside, heard a horn and saw Zban in her car. He then called 911. Donlow said she was also on the phone to 911 and trying to get out of the car.

She was shot in the eye, shoulder and biceps. At the time, detectives said she was lucky to be alive.

Zban is being treated at a rehabilitation facility.

Her friends said bone fragments were removed around her eye, and she’ll need facial and shoulder surgery. Her speech is limited as of now, and she likely will require jaw surgery.

Her friends had a fundraiser in downtown Youngstown on Feb. 19, and a “Go Fund Me” page has been created to accept donations to help offset medical bills Zban will incur.

The teen is expected to have a juvenile court hearing early next week.