Warren man pleads not guilty to weapons charge

Staff report

WARREN

Lewis C. Powell, III, 22, of Clearwater Street Northwest, pleaded not guilty Monday in Warren Municipal Court to carrying a concealed weapon and receiving stolen property after police found him passed out behind the wheel of a car on Oakdale Drive at Drexel Avenue Northwest at 8:16 p.m. Saturday.

He is in the Trumbull County jail without eligibility to make bond.

He also pleaded not guilty to charges of drug abuse, possession of drug-abuse instruments, operating a motor vehicle impaired and driving under suspension.

When an officer arrived, he found Powell in the car, which was in drive with Powell’s foot on the brake.

The officer unlocked the doors by reaching through a small opening in the window, then put the car in park by entering the vehicle through the front passenger door and took the keys out of the ignition.

The officer saw a small bag of suspected heroin in Powell’s lap. When other officers arrived, they took Powell into custody by grasping each of his hands from opposite sides of the car.

Police later found suspected cocaine and marijuana on Powell, a handgun reported stolen in 2016 under the driver’s seat and syringes in the center console.

Powell was taken to the hospital because of his intoxicated state and later went to the county jail.