Husband back in jail

Husband back in jail

YOUNGSTOWN

A man indicted last month for threatening his wife with a shotgun then attempting to set her on fire to “put her out of her misery” is back in the Mahoning County jail.

Prosecutors successfully argued for a bench warrant for Kirk A. Miller, 51, of Amberly Street, Austintown, for violating conditions of his $20,000 bond. Austintown police stopped Miller’s minivan just before 1 p.m. Tuesday along South Meridian Road and took him into custody.

Miller was indicted May 9 on felony counts of attempted aggravated arson and felonious assault and misdemeanor counts of domestic violence and aggravated menacing.

According to a township police report from April, Miller and his wife began arguing when she threatened to leave him. Miller struck her with the barrel of a loaded shotgun, then lit a piece of paper and “threw it on her stating he was going to put her out of her misery,” the report states.

Miller’s jury trial is set for July 1.

Bank employee arrested

COLUMBIANA

A former employee of a Columbiana County bank is set to be arraigned Thursday in common pleas court on two counts of telecommunications fraud and a count of theft.

Denis Hernandez, 35, of Poland, is free on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond after he was arrested May 28 at a bank on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown, where he works, on a warrant from the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office.

The indictment charges Martinez with using some sort of telecommunications device Aug. 10, 2018, and Sept. 7, 2018, to defraud someone.

The theft charge said he engaged in conduct between Sept. 18, 2018, and Oct. 31, 2018, to defraud a Home Savings Bank branch in Columbiana County of more than $1,000 in property or services.

The indictment was issued secretly May 16 and was unsealed when Hernandez was arrested.

Separation from TAG

WARREN

The Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force will become the Trumbull Action Group effective June 30, when Ashtabula County separates itself from TAG.

The Trumbull County commissioners are expected to approve a resolution today agreeing to the separation.

Chief Deputy Joe Dragovich of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office said the separation will reduce the amount of grant money TAG receives by about $40,000, but TAG will have the same amount of resources to continue to operate.

TAG focuses on drug trafficking, gangs, firearm trafficking and homeland-security issues.

Ashtabula County plans to create an agency much like TAG on its own, according to the Ashtabula Star Beacon newspaper.

Gunshot wounds

WARREN

Two males suffered gunshot wounds, at least one of them serious, during a confrontation at 3 p.m. Tuesday behind an apartment building on Maryland Street Northwest.

A suspect is in custody, Warren police say.

A resident told The Vindicator a child came in to her house just before the shooting started, saying some of the roughly 30 people in the parking lot were talking about shooting guns. The woman said she gathered the children inside the home just before the gunfire began.

She said when she went outside later, one male was still on the ground with a serious gunshot wound. The other male left on foot from the area, losing blood on the asphalt on his way out of the parking lot.

A third person picked up the guns and carried them away, she told police.

Renewal levy recount

WARREN

The vote count did not change from the May 7 election night when the Trumbull County Board of Elections did a recount Tuesday for the McDonald Schools renewal levy.

The levy was approved.

The official totals were 244 votes for the 4.3-mill, 5-year renewal levy for permanent improvements and 242 against. The levy will raise $225,822 annually.

Data presentation

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County public health officials will be discussing data they have collected about the community’s health status at St. Christine Parish Center, 3165 S. Schenley Ave., from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday.

After the data presentation, there will be small group discussions in which attendees can talk about the results and give input on which health concerns should be prioritized.

Community members who attend will have the chance to win a $25 gift card.

Trustee board meetings

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State University trustee board will have its regular quarterly meetings this week in the trustees meeting room on the first floor of Tod Hall on campus.

The meetings for today are 10 a.m., Academic and Student Affairs Committee; 11:30 a.m., Institutional Engagement Committee; 1 p.m., Investment Subcommittee; 1:30 p.m., University Affairs Committee; and 3 p.m., Executive Committee.

The Thursday meetings are 7:45 a.m., University Affairs Committee; 8 a.m., Audit Subcommittee; 8:30 a.m., Finance and Facilities Committee: 9:30 a.m., Governance Committee; 10 a.m., regular quarterly board meeting.

Road closures

WARREN

These streets will be closed from 6 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Monday for the Trumbull County African American Achievers Association Festival: Mahoning Avenue at High Street and Market Street, Market at Mahoning and Park Avenue, and High Street at Park and Mahoning.

Agenda Thursday

Liberty Township trustees, 7:30 a.m., administration building, 1315 Church Hill-Hubbard Road.

Niles school board, 5:30 p.m., special meeting, administration building, 309 N. Rhodes Ave.

AGENDA runs daily. Items for the column should arrive at The Vindicator Regional Desk at least two days in advance.