Police arrest man in bullet-proof vest on firearms charges

YOUNGSTOWN — Police arrested two people and found a gun early Monday morning after receiving a report of a suspicious car.

Reports said officers were called at about 2:15 a.m. Monday to the first block of East Evergreen for a report of two people sitting inside a car and when they arrived they smelled marijuana coming from the car.

The driver, DeMario Hoyt, 22, of North Bruce Street, told police he had marijuana and gave officers a bag of marijuana. When he was told to get out of the car, reports said officers saw a gun in the side of the door that later turned out to be a loaded .45-caliber handgun.

Hoyt was also wearing a bullet-proof vest, reports said. He said he was wearing it to be safe.

He was taken to the Mahoning County jail on charges of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

A passenger, Candace White, 33, of East Indianola Avenue, had a warrant from municipal court and she also had two syringes and a crack pipe in her purse, reports said.

White was taken to the jail on the warrant and charges of possession of drug abuse instruments.