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Niles police reports show other confrontations between Niles police and man they killed in January
He was shot to death by Niles officers in January
By Ed Runyan
NILES
When Matthew S. Burroughs drove into the Royal Mall apartments Jan. 2 followed by police, it was not the first time that had happened.
Niles police officers shot him to death during that Jan. 2 confrontation. But one encounter March 24, 2013, ended with an arrest.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the killing. Two Niles officers – James Reppy and Christopher Mannella – are on administrative duty as the probe continues.
Reppy and Mannella were among a handful of Niles officers who encountered Burroughs Jan. 2 in the Royal Mall complex, where Burroughs lived, shortly after he had been involved in a confrontation with a probation officer at Niles Municipal Court.
An unnamed Niles officer spotted Burroughs in his car on state Route 46 just north of the apartments and followed him as he drove into the complex. Several officers were already there waiting. Police later said Burroughs drove at officers just before they opened fire, killing him.
A March 24, 2013, Niles police report says a Niles officer similarly followed Burroughs into the apartment complex on that day. Officer Stephen Corll tried to make a traffic stop on Burroughs on Route 46 north of the apartments at 1 a.m. after discovering Burroughs had a suspended license.
But Burroughs did not stop when Corll activated his lights and siren. Instead, he drove into the apartments, stopping in a parking space in front of his 53 Royal Mall apartment.
“The driver then proceeded to exit the vehicle and walk toward the apartment door,” the officer said. “I repeatedly ordered [Burroughs] to get back in his vehicle. The driver would not comply and continued towards the apartment door.”
Corll said Burroughs’ hands “were not plainly visible, and he appeared to be trying to conceal something. I cut the male off at Taser point and ordered him to get back in the vehicle.
“The driver finally complied,” the officer said. Patrolman Bill Pike arrived to assist.
Burroughs did not have a weapon, but his eyes were glassy, and he had difficulty keeping them open, the report says. He failed field sobriety tests and was charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired, driving under suspension and obstruction.
He was convicted April 29, 2013, in Niles Municipal Court of OVI, his second, after pleading no contest. He was ordered to spend 10 days in the Trumbull County jail.
A July 14, 2009, Niles police report describes Burroughs’ behavior as even more uncooperative.
An officer observed Burroughs’ vehicle on North Main Street in the center lane passing vehicles near Helen Avenue. Officer Dan Myers activated his lights and siren and caught up to Burroughs near the McDonald’s restaurant on Main Street.
Burroughs turned into the McDonald’s parking lot, then did a slow U-turn until he and the officer were looking at each other.
“The driver looked at me, smiled, and proceeded back onto North Main Street,” Myers’ report says.
Burroughs traveled south on Main at 10 miles per hour or less, finally stopping in front of the Sparkle supermarket as officer Richard Bayless arrived.
Myers and Bayless got out of their cruisers, but Burroughs started driving again. The officers boxed Burroughs’ car in near the McKinley Memorial.
“We exited our cars with our guns drawn, giving orders for the subject to show his hands and get out of the vehicle, which he did not comply,” the report said. Bayless opened Burroughs’ car and ordered him to show his hands, but Burroughs “just looked at us. I reached in to grab Matthew’s left arm, and he pulled away,” Myers wrote.
Their arms “got tangled up,” pulling Myers into Burroughs’ vehicle. Burroughs let his foot off the brake – allowing the vehicle to lunge forward due to it not being in park.
“Matthew hit the brake again and he reached to put it in park. During this time I called for a Taser deployment, but due to the consistent struggle with wrestling and pulling away inside the vehicle, no clear shot could be taken. I was able to unbuckle the subject and he was removed from the vehicle with a struggle.”
Myers used pepper spray across Burroughs’ eyebrows, “but he continued to wrestle and pull away.”
Patrolman Todd Mobley and Capt. Chuck Wilson arrived, and Burroughs was taken into custody, charged with resisting arrest, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and fleeing and eluding. Burroughs pleaded no contest Oct. 19, 2009, to resisting arrest and improper passing and was convicted.