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Three caught after foot, vehicle chase
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Police said three of four people who were caught after running from a stolen SUV are suspects in a string of recent burglaries where vehicle keys and vehicles were taken.
Braquan Walker, 18, of Palmer Avenue, was arraigned Friday in municipal court before Magistrate Anthony Sertick on charges of receiving stolen property, obstructing official business and fleeing and eluding. His bond was set at $27,500.
He was caught on the North Side about 5 p.m. Thursday after officer Jacob Short tried to pull over a SUV he said Walker was driving at Covington Street and Belmont Avenue that had led officers on a short chase on the South Side.
Three juveniles also were in the SUV when it led police on the second chase across Belmont to Kensington and Dennick avenues, where the SUV stopped and all four people inside got out and ran away.
One of the juveniles was caught on Brookline Avenue by officer Ryan Curry, while another juvenile was caught after officer Mohammad Awad had to tackle him because an attempt to use his electronic stun weapon did not work.
Awad injured his hand during the arrest and had to be taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be examined, reports said.
Neighbors also told police they saw one of the people from the SUV running on Upland Avenue, and Curry went there and caught Walker, reports said.
Assistant City Prosecutor Jeffrey Moliterno told Sertick that Walker was deemed delinquent as a juvenile on charges of receiving stolen property and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
Police Chief Robin Lees said the SUV was one of two vehicles stolen during a burglary earlier this week at a home in the 4000 block of Rush Boulevard.
Lees said the burglars would either enter a home through an unlocked door or window, take what they could inside, including any keys, then drive away with any vehicles that were there.
The other vehicle from the home on Rush Boulevard was found on the East Side shortly after it was taken, Lees said.
The two boys, 15 and 16, face felony charges in juvenile court of receiving stolen property and obstruction of justice.