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Police arrest suspect Saturday accused in August murder
By Justin Wier
YOUNGSTOWN
Police on Saturday arrested a man they believe is responsible for killing a man found shot in a car in August.
Officers arrested Charles Allen, 24, of Campbell after a foot chase that began at a house on Hartzell Avenue on the West Side at 2 p.m. Saturday.
On Aug. 29, police found Tyreese Lynch, 22, of East Judson Avenue, shot in his car about 12:40 a.m. Paramedics took Lynch to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, where he died about 7:30 a.m.
Lt. Doug Bobovnyik said Allen was secretly indicted by a Mahoning County grand jury weeks ago, and U.S. Marshals have been searching for him since.
When police arrived at the house on Hartzell on Saturday, they saw a man run through the backyard, according to a police report.
Police found him on Midland Avenue, where he attempted to flee again but fell and was taken into custody.
While he repeatedly gave officers a false name, he was identified at the Mahoning County jail.
Officers also found two bags of suspected heroin near the area where they arrested him.
In addition to warrants on charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms, Allen was arrested on charges of possession of heroin, obstructing official business and obstruction of justice.
Also Saturday, police responding to an overdose on the South Side found a man sleeping with a bag of suspected heroin clutched in each hand, according to a police report.
A neighbor called police to an overdose on Ferndale Avenue on the South Side at 7:55 p.m..
In addition to a woman overdosing, police found Duane Witherspoon, 39, of Struthers, sleeping on the couch.
Officers found a medium-size plastic bag full of suspected heroin in each of Witherspoon’s hands. They also found a cigarette package containing two bags of suspected heroin, a bag of suspected cocaine, a straw with residue, a bag of marijuana and multiple packets of suspected heroin near Witherspoon.
Police confiscated $550 he had in his pocket.
Witherspoon faces charges of possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Paramedics took the woman who overdosed to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
At 11:55 p.m. Saturday, police found a man at a Market Street restaurant on top of another man and punching him in the face, according to a report. Joshua Donatelli, 25, no address listed, eventually listened to police’s orders to stop, the report said. He was released on a summons for misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Donatelli told police he was upset because his fiance was speaking to the victim.