Ramos gets more than 20 years for chase, manhunt

By Joe Gorman

jgorman@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

An assistant prosecutor on Monday urged a judge to send a message while sentencing a man who pleaded guilty last week to 13 felony counts relating to a chase and manhunt last spring.

Assistant Prosecutor Mike Yacovone told Judge John Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court he must send the message that shooting or assaulting police officers is unacceptable. He told the judge it is his role and the role of the judicial system to “protect the protectors.”

“Shooting at police officers is irredeemable,” Yacovone said. “There are real consquences. You cannot come back from that.”

Judge Durkin sentenced 30-year-old Luis Cruz Ramos to 201/2 years on 10 counts of felonious assault on a police officer and single counts of resisting arrest, failure to comply and illegal possession of a weapon.

The judge also stacked that sentence on top of a 211/2-year federal sentence for charges Ramos pleaded guilty to for drawing a gun on U.S. Marshals who tried to arrest him. The sentences guarantee he will be in prison until his early 70s. He is still wanted on a probation violation by Puerto Rico.

Campbell police were trying to serve a warrant on Ramos on March 31, 2016, when he led them on a chase to Boardman, then back to Campbell and to Boardman. During the chase, Ramos rammed a cruiser and fired shots at several officers from Campbell, Boardman and Youngstown.

He abandoned his van on Interstate 680 south next to a Midlothian Boulevard cemetery and managed to elude police until the next day, when he was spotted on a South Side street by U.S. Marshals and wounded in the leg after he pulled a gun on them.

His attorney, Doug Taylor, did not minimize Ramos’ actions, calling them inexcusable. Taylor said the chase started during a domestic dispute because Ramos’ ex-wife tipped police that he was in Campbell and that he had a warrant.

Because of that, his client was not thinking clearly that evening, Taylor said.

“It was a domestic dispute and domestic disputes can go crazy,” Taylor said.

Ramos through his interpreter said only: “I ask forgiveness for what happened in Youngstown in the state of Ohio.”

Judge Durkin said Ramos’ conduct rose to another level when he shot at police officers and that he believed his sentence should run consecutive to his federal one to protect the public.

Three Youngstown police officers were in court but did not speak as were two Campbell police officers. One of them, John Rusnak, was injured in the chase. Rusnak said his cruiser was in front of the van Ramos was driving as part of a moving roadblock when Ramos rear-ended the cruiser, causing it to spin out. Rusnak injured his shoulder.

Rusnak said he was pleased with Judge Durkin’s sentence.

“I think justice was served,” Rusnak said. “I think he did a good job.”