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Suspect confesses to striking and killing Leetonia man
LEETONIA
A 28-year-old suspect confessed to striking and killing a Leetonia man Tuesday morning. He has not yet been charged, however, pending further investigation, said the commander of the Lisbon post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Nicholas Crookston, 30, was found about 6 a.m. Tuesday on old state Route 344 near state Route 588 after he was struck by a vehicle while walking west on the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a representative from the Columbiana County Coroner’s office.
Highway patrol investigators found the suspect because he is the co-owner of the 2009 Jeep Wrangler they suspect struck Crookston.
They were acting on a tip from a concerned citizen identifying the driver.
Lt. Les Brode, commander of the Lisbon post, said during an interview Wednesday night that the suspect admitted striking Crookston and leaving the scene of the crash.
Once the patrol completes its investigation, it will present its findings to the Columbiana County prosecutor, who will present the case to a grand jury.
John Gamble, chief assistant county prosecutor, said that as of Thursday afternoon, he has not received the patrol’s report.
“They are still working on results of a search that was to be conducted of the vehicle they recovered,” Gamble said of patrol investigators.
“It will take us a couple days to process the evidence we have,” Brode added.
Gamble told The Vindicator that investigators gave him no reason to believe the suspect is currently a danger to the community or a flight risk.