CITIZENS & COPS WORKING TOGETHER

Amherst – A call from an Amherst resident of a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood leads to charges of four Amherst teens.

Police say that they received a call at 1:05 a.m. on Wednesday morning of a suspicious Ford F-150 in the area of Milan Ave near Dane Street driving slowly down the street without lights on.

Officers responded to the area and noticed a white Ford Truck turn westbound onto Milan Ave. from Dane St. The operator of the truck, later identified as a 16-year-old Amherst male, negotiated the turn westbound onto Milan Ave. at what appeared to be a high rate of speed from Dane St. The driver failed to stop at the posted stop at the intersection of Dane St. and Milan Ave. and when he negotiated the turn he did so very wide traveling left of center into the opposite lane on Milan Ave.

Police stopped the truck on Quarry Rd. just north of Milan Ave. Officers explained the reason for the stop and noticed 3 other male occupants in the vehicle. While speaking with the driver the officer was able to detect an odor of an intoxicating beverage coming from on or about his person, and noticed his eyes were glassy in appearance.

Another officer spoke with the other occupants and noticed different kinds of an unusual type of imported beer in the rear seat and bed of the truck. The officers also noticed the occupants had fresh mud on their shoes.

The on-scene officers, considering where the vehicle was initially observed acting suspicious, decided to check the Jefferson 150 restaurant located on Jefferson St, near the Amherst Historical Society property for any recent break ins. Upon checking the property, the officer noticed a window on the back of the building was broken out. There were also two bottles of imported beer below the broken window.

The four suspects were taken into custody on suspicion of Breaking and Entering and transported back to the Police statiom.

The detective bureau was contacted to process the scene of the burglary and was able to obtain enough evidence to further support the charge of Breaking and Entering.

During the initial traffic stop, the Amherst Police Department received a call from Lorain Police who stated they just received a call from a male who said he was told by his friend to call the police for shots being fired in the Apple Orchard neighborhood (in Amherst). It was later determined one of the suspects at the time of the traffic stop sent a text message his Amherst friend to call in the bogus call to police in an attempt to get the Amherst police officers diverted from their investigation.

As a result of the traffic stop the four occupants were charged with the following:

16-year-old Amherst male: Operating A Vehicle After Underage Alcohol Consumption, Underage Consumption, Stop Sign violation, Driving in Marked Lanes, Temporary Instruction Permit, Curfew, Receiving Stolen Property, and Breaking & Entering (F-5). He was transported to the Lorain County Detention Home.

17-year-old Amherst male: Underage Consumption, Curfew, Possession of Tobacco, Receiving Stolen Property, and Breaking & Entering (F-5). He was also transported to the Lorain County Detention Home.

14-year-old Amherst male: Curfew violation, Receiving Stolen Property, and Breaking & Entering (F-5). He was released to a parent.

Matthew Markel, age 18 of Amherst: Underage Consumption, Drug Abuse, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Disorderly Conduct Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct Persisting, Possession of Criminal Tools, Receiving Stolen Property, and Breaking & Entering (F-5). Markel was transported to the Lorain County Jail pending his court appearance in Oberlin Municipal Court

Police say that this is an example of what the end result can be when alert citizens call the police on suspicious activity. The responding officers were also able to solve an additional crime by being alert for the subtle signs of other criminal activity.

FIRE HITS RIDGEVILLE HOME

RESIDENT ESCAPES – PET DIES IN FIRE

TMC NEWS Story & Photos: BRIAN WOODS

Call Time: 12:34 p.m. Tuesday April 28, 2009
North Ridgeville – An early afternoon fire killed a family pet and left a home in ruins on Denise Drive in North Ridgeville Tuesday.


Assistant Chief Scott Bement of the North Ridgeville Fire Department said the fire appears to have started in the kitchen. A resident, who was home alone, said she had been cooking something on the stove. She left the kitchen after hearing one of her two dogs barking – when she returned to the kitchen she discovered the fire and quickly called 9-1-1.

The resident was able to escape the house with two of three dogs – the third was lost in the fire. The woman was treated by Firefighters for smoke inhalation and taken to Elyria Memorial Hospital for further evaluation.

Much of the house was destroyed according to Bement with heavy fire damage to the kitchen and living room. Smoke, fire and water damage could be found throughout the rest of the home as well. Fire officials place the damage to the home in excess of $100,000.00.

Assisting North Ridgeville in battling the fire was Avon, Avon Lake, Westlake and Olmsted Township.


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LORAIN COUNTY 5th IN OVI ARRESTS

Columbus – Franklin and Butler counties had the most Patrol OVI arrests last year according to new statistics released by the Patrol today – Lorain County came in fifth. Troopers made 25,512 OVI arrests statewide last year, an increase of 782 arrests over 2007.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol OVI-Related Crashes and Arrests statistical recap from the Patrol’s Statistical Analysis Unit, during 2008 troopers made 1,441 OVI arrests in Franklin County and 1,132 in Butler County. Rounding out the top five were Lucas County with 985 arrests, Montgomery County with 876, and Lorain County with 835. Of the statewide OVI arrests, 67 percent occurred between Midnight and 4:00 a.m.

In 2008, there were 15,318 OVI-related crashes on Ohio roadways, killing 466 and injuring 9,315.

“The Patrol takes the crime of impaired driving seriously. And that is what impaired driving is – a crime,” Colonel Richard H. Collins, Patrol superintendent said. “Impaired driving is a crime that puts innocent people in danger, and all too frequently results in tragic consequences.”

So far this year through April 26, troopers have made 8,018 OVI arrests.

KITCHEN FIRE ON TAFT

Elyria – A kitchen fire drew Elyria Firefighters to a home on Taft Ave late Sunday afternoon.

When Firefighters arrived they were told that there was still a person inside of the home on the second floor. Firefighters entered the home and found a man asleep, woke him and assisted him in getting outside.

Firefighters applied oxygen to the man until LifeCare Paramedics arrived.

The fire was extinguished in only a matter of minutes but not before causing extensive damage to the kitchen. Fire officials say that other rooms in the home sustained heavy smoke and water damage as well.

The exact cause of the blaze was undetermined Sunday night but people close to the family say it was more than likely food left on the stove.

The man that found inside of the home was treated by LifeCare on the scene but refused transport to the hospital.

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CERT MEMBERS HIT THE STREETS

Elyria – As the news began to spread about the Swine Flu hitting Elyria, a group of citizens were called into action to help notify parents of the situation.

Alice Webber, Assistant Director of the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency said the group – Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) – was called into action. “Superintendent Rigda sent out a reverse 9-1-1 message to parents of children who attend Ely School informing them of the 9 year old student who tested positive for the Swine Flu. He was unable to reach all of the parents by phone so we activated CERT to help inform any family who could not be reached by phone.”

The members of the group went out in teams of two and were each given a portable radio and a stack of notices with addresses. Each member wore a green vest with the CERT logo on the front and back for easy identification.

Webber said that her office only activated one zone of CERT, which consists of 32 members. The additional two zones were placed on stand by but Webber believed that they would not be needed.

Before a special phone number was given out through the media for parents to call with any questions or concerns – a group was set up in an undisclosed location to take those calls.

As CERT members knocked on doors parents were thrilled to see that Lorain County has such a group in place. One mother who did not want to be identified said that they have been without a phone for a while and only 3 channels on their TV. “I don’t know how long it would have taken us to find out about this had it not been for these two men. What a blessing it is that we have neighbors who would give of their time – especially on a beautiful afternoon like this – to go out and help complete strangers. I will be checking each of my children tonight and you can bet we will be keeping an close eye on them for any of these symptoms.”

Webber said that as of now there are 110 CERT members and although that is a good number to have; “But not good enough to have for the areas that we have to cover in case there is a bigger incident.”

Anyone wishing to learn more about CERT or would like to become involved: CLICK HERE

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LAGRANGE BALTTLES BARN FIRE

LaGrange – A late night fire struck a barn on Route 303 in LaGrange Sunday night while the family slept.

Chief James Rader of LaGrange Fire & Rescue said that when he arrived on scene the south end of the membrane style barn was well involved. Rader had to wake the family to advise them of the fire.

Firefighters from LaGrange, Carlisle and Grafton Township fought the blaze for about an hour before getting it under control. A backhoe from the Township was used to pull hay from the structure and move it for Firefighters to extinguish out in the open.

Members of the Tompkins family worked quickly to move equipment that was stored just outside of the structure. They also lent a hand pulling fire hose while Firefighters were battling the blaze.

Along with the hay, the Tompkins family also had two tractors, a hay shredder and a skid steer stored inside of the barn.

Officials are looking at a Skid Loader as a possible starting point for the blaze. Initial damage estimates are now at $35,000.00.

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BRAWL BREAKS OUT ON DEPOT

2 ARRESTED – 2 TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

Call Time: 12:42 a.m. Saturday April 26, 2009
Elyria – A confrontation behind an Elyria bar on Depot Street early Saturday morning lead to arrests and people going to the hospital.

Tiffany Reed and Kimberly King were pulling out of the parking lot of Pudge’s bar on the Depot Street side when they say three black males walked by and commented about not hitting them with the vehicle. Reed told Police that she and King then exited the vehicle to “see what they had to say.”

Reed said that the men then assaulted her for no reason at all and that is when the melee began and Police were called.

As Officers arrived they observed a white male in a green shirt, later identified as Christopher Smith, screaming at another white male, later identified as Roy Byrge, was walking away and another white male who also appeared to be involved. Smith screamed “what you got to say now bitch” then ran after him and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground next to another male that was already lying on the ground motionless.

Officers called for LifeCare Paramedics then identified themselves and yelled for Smith to get on the ground as he was still lunging towards Byrge to further assault him. Officer Moss took hold of Smith’s arm to pull him away from Byrge. Smith then turned to face Officers and pulled away, then swung his fist and punched Officer Moss in the right side of his face, knocking his glasses off. Moss struck Smith in the face and administered several knee strikes to Smith’s legs in an attempt to get Smith to the ground. Officers were finally able to get Smith to the ground but he continued to struggle with them as King stepped in and began screaming at the Officers and grabbed Moss, trying to pull him off of Smith. Moss pushed her away and ordered her to get back. King then began screaming, “arrest the niggers not the white boys, you fucking pussy cops.” Officers were able to cuff Smith as King again tried to interfere and continued with her racial rants.

Smith was ordered to remain on the ground as Officers attempted to attend to the unconscious male lying on the ground. Smith then tried to get up and was still trying to fight with the Officers at which time he tried to kick Moss – but missed. Smith was then placed in a cruiser.

King then began screaming “all the niggers around here never go to jail, you faggot cops are scared to arrest the niggers.” Police say King would not cease and was subsequently placed under arrest.

Officers later identified the man on the ground as Isidro Casarez and found that Byrge had left the scene – it was later discovered that Byrge had an active warrant. As Casarez began coming around he told Officers that he only remembers being knocked out – nothing else.

Police say the other white male was identified as Joseph Elkins. Elkins, Smith’s brother, who was also bleeding from the face and highly intoxicated told Police that he saw that his brother was “in a fight with some black guys” so he went to help him out – but he was also beaten up.

Reed, who was bleeding from the face, told Police that she was Smith’s girlfriend and that the three black guys assaulted her. Reed said that she was from Geauga and wanted the Officers to arrest the males who assaulted her. When Officers asked for a description of the males involved Reed replied; “No, they all look alike just go find them, I want them arrested.”

Reed was advised that the Officers observed no black males in the incident when they arrived on the scene and without further information there was no way to find the other parties. Reed was upset and continued to make further racial comments according to the Police. She was then given a ride to the Police Station to make arrangements to get back to Geauga.

LifeCare Paramedics treated and transported Casarez and Elkins to Elyria Memorial Hospital for their injuries.

Smith and King were both transported to the Elyria City Jail. Smith was charged with Assault on a Police Officer (F-4), Resisting Arrest (M-1) and Underage Drinking (M-1). King was charged with Resisting Arrest (of another) (M-1).

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ELY SCHOOL TO CLOSE FOR 1 WEEK

SWINE FLU IN ELYRIA UPDATE
Elyria – The Center of Disease Control (CDC) has recommended that any school that has had a confirmed case of the Swine Flu close for one week. The Elyria City School’s Superintendent Paul Rigda will follow that recommendation and close Ely School for one week.

SWINE FLU HITS HOME

CONFIRMED CASE FOUND IN ELYRIA

Elyria – Parents of children attending Ely Elementary School in Elyria received phone calls today that they never dreamed they would ever get – a case of the Swine Flu has hit the city and it’s a student at Ely.

Stacy Goodspeed said she received a pre-recorded message from Superintendent Paul Rigda today informing parents of the case and what to do and what to watch for in their children. “The message said that a 3rd grader who just came back from Mexico and has a confirmed case of the Swine Flu. He went on telling us what to watch for and said if she has any symptoms to go to the hospital or to our doctor.”

Goodspeed said that at this point she would just watch her daughter, who is in the first grade at Ely, and take her to see the family doctor tomorrow morning. “Right now she is showing none of the signs or symptoms that we were told to look for, she seems fine but as a precaution we will visit the doctor tomorrow. I also have a two year old to look out for so even without the symptoms I will want to get her checked.”

Goodspeed said that receiving the message today has her petrified. “I never thought in a million years that I would have to worry about this – my stomach flipped when I heard the news. I saw on the news this morning of the confirmed cases around the United States but never in a million years did I think it would hit Elyria – let alone, Ely School.”

TMC NEWS has learned that the child is fine at this point resting at his home. Parents who could not be reached by phone will have Lorain County CERT Team members driving to their homes to tell them in person.

Anyone with questions regarding the illness can call a special phone bank that the Elyria City Health District has set up – 440.324.3177.

Check back later for more details on this BREAKING story.

Q&A ABOUT THE SWINE FLU

The CDC has posted answers to several commonly asked questions about the Swine Flu:

Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How serious is swine flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

How do you catch swine flu?
Spread of swine flu can occur in two ways:
Through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with swine flu viruses.
Through contact with a person with swine flu. Human-to-human spread of swine flu has been documented also and is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

What should I do if I get sick?
If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

JUST ANOTHER DAY ON THE JOB

TROOPER PULLS WOMAN

FROM BURNING CAR

South Amherst – Trooper Shawn Klein of the Ohio State Highway Patrol was on routine patrol Saturday afternoon traveling through South Amherst on Route 58.

Grant Krieg was working at his Ice Cream Stand (Krieg’s Frozen Custard) on Route 113, just west of Route 58, Saturday afternoon when he spotted Klein’s patrol car with the lights activated. Krieg, who was outside of his stand taking out trash, moved to the front of the stand to see what was going on – what he saw, he says, was nothing short of heroic. “I saw the Trooper pull across the intersection and turn on his lights, then he spun around and pulled behind this car that was parked at the light.”

Trooper Klein said that as he was crossing the intersection he could see that some of the cars traveling in the opposite direction were trying to signal to him. “It was then that I looked over and saw a maroon colored Impala parked at the traffic light and sure enough all underneath the engine compartment on the asphalt was on fire. The lady was still inside of the vehicle and it appeared that she was unaware of the fire and at that point I wasn’t sure if anything was wrong with her or not.”

It was then that Krieg said Klein jumped into action. “He got out of his car and ran to her door and just pulled it open then reached in and grabbed her and got her out of there. At this point I am standing 300 or so yards away and I can see the entire underneath of the car and the engine on fire, I didn’t know if it was going to blow up or not so I stayed a good distance away and near the building.”

Krieg said that Klein moved the woman, Faira Corbett of South Amherst, back to the patrol car and out of harms way.

Klein said that when he grabbed the Corbett’s arm he told her, “hey, your car is on fire” – he said Corbett was both surprised to see him and to find out the news about the fire.

The South Amherst Fire Department was called to extinguish the blaze and to secure the car for towing.

Klein said that the cause of the fire is still unknown; he did say that Corbett’s husband had been working on the car recently.

Krieg said he believes what Klein did was both heroic and very brave. “I’m not sure if I had been over there that I would have approached the car as quickly as he did – I mean you just don’t know if a fuel line is going to burst or what will happen. So for him to jump out and run up there like he did and to get her out so quickly was very impressive. Just after he got her back closer to his car the fire really kicked up – it wasn’t like in the movies where there was a huge ball of flame or anything, but she is damn lucky that he got her out when he did in my opinion.”


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FIRE DESTROYS AVON BARN

Avon – Firefighters in Avon received numerous calls of thick black smoke in the area of Detroit Road and also Long Road Saturday afternoon.

Chief Frank Root of the Avon Fire Department said that due to the high winds the smoke was blowing in many directions – throwing off callers as to the exact location of the fire. “We had an Engine company and a Truck company – one head up Long Road and the other came down here and found a very large barn fully involved in fire. Due to the age of the barn and the fact that there use to be pesticides stored here we went directly to defensive operations.”

Root had two aerials up in a matter of minutes dousing the structure while other Firefighters were battling the blaze from ground level with hand lines.

A company that plows driveways and parking lots in the winter has recently used the barn. Firefighters found tons of salt and plow blades inside of the structure.

Root said that the property owners, Kurtz Brothers, assisted by bringing a bulldozer in and leveled a portion of the structure after the blaze had been knocked down. With how weak the structure was Root said he did not want to send any Firefighters inside so it would be easier to hit the hot spots with the barn on the ground.

A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS
Chief Root praised how well the Mutual Aid & Box Alarm system worked in Saturday’s fire.

The automatic Mutual Aid for a structure fire in Avon brings Avon’s Engine & Truck Companies, 3 Chiefs, and Engine from Sheffield Village and a Truck Company from North Ridgeville.

Avon’s First Alarm, which Root activated, brings him a Medic Squad from Avon Lake, Engine from Westlake and a Truck Company from Elyria.

The idea of bringing in the 3 Chiefs to assist with the fire is something Root said he has been pushing for in Lorain County. “To have an Incident Management Assistant Team at scenes like this – just to have extra eyes at your disposal is a huge asset. Getting those Chief’s here and being able to place them around the building, especially a building of this size, to see things that I cannot by being here at the command post, where people know to go if they need me, is very important. As soon as Chief Young arrived I moved him to the rear of the structure and put him in Command there so he could keep me updated on the progress and oversee the crews back there.”

Overall Chief Root said as far as the Mutual Aid system and Box Alarm went today he could not have been happier. “To be honest the winds worked in our favor today because of the direction, it helped keep the fire to the north side of the structure and blowing it through to the eastside. But the operations worked great, everybody worked very well together as they always do when we get this amount of people together. We proved it in Elyria at the LCCC fire that Mutual Aid works and these guys all work together great.”

Root said that at this point the cause of the blaze is listed as undetermined, but because of several factors he does not believe it is arson but is ruling nothing out.

The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross was on hand to assist the Firefighters in rehab.

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DUPLEX FIRE DISPLACES 2 FAMILIES

Lorain – A fire caused by children playing with matches has left two families in the care of the Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Assistant Chief Roy Cochran of the Lorain Fire Department said the fire started in an upstairs bedroom of a Chelsea Drive, side-by-side duplex, Saturday afternoon on Lorain’s south side. “The fire started in a back bedroom on the backside – the roof on the backside is gone so it’s going to be uninhabitable for the families. Fortunately there was a fire break between the two apartments and fortunately we were able to get enough manpower here quickly and stop the fire.”

Cochran said that residents from both units required assistance with temporary housing – one due to extensive smoke damage. The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross was on scene and they will be assisting 2 adults and 7 children.


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“IT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION”

Elyria – Neighbors living in West Ridge Green Mobile Home Park described the crash as a loud explosion.

A man driving down Fox Chase, the main drag through the park, at a high rate of speed struck a parked car causing it to flip over and almost striking a mobile home.

Witnesses say that when they got outside the driver got out of the car and fled on foot down Golf Way Trail.

While Police were on scene conducting their investigation the father of the driver called saying that his son, Bruce Lender of Elyria, called him saying that he was bleeding and intoxicated but was unable to understand him when he said where he was located. Officers searched the area but were unable to find him.

Nobody in the park was injured in the crash.

Elyria Police received a call from a resident of the park around 7am saying that there was a male lying in the field between the park and the retirement community on Academy Court.

Police arrived and trekked out to the male and discovered Lender lying in the grass. Lender denied being the driver or even any knowledge of the incident. Police took his information and sent him on his way.

Lender has an extensive criminal record according to the Elyria Municipal Court records including a serious crash in Carlisle Township in 2007, OVI, Obstructing and Resisting Arrest.

The Elyria Police Department continues to investigate the crash.

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NOT A THROUGH STREET

Lorain – Neighbors around the Gary Ave & East 32nd Street intersection in Lorain said they could hear the roar of the motorcycle engine coming down the street – then all of a sudden it was silent.

The biker, who ran a stop sign, didn’t see that the road stops at E 32nd and is blocked with guardrails.

The bike rode right into the rail and got stuck underneath it while the rider flew over the handlebars and landed in the yard of a local church.

Paramedics from LifeCare Ambulance treated the man at scene then transported him to Community Health Partners Emergency Room. His condition is unknown at this time.

The Lorain Police Department is investigating the crash.

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BOY RIDES BIKE IN FRONT OF CAR

BOY GETS HIT BY CAR

Elyria – With the first really nice weekend in full swing we are reminded to watch out for pedestrians, pets and bikes in the roadways.

Friday evening a young man was crossing Broad Street near Cedar with a group of his friends on bikes when he rode into the path of a car traveling east on Broad Street. The young man was thrown from his bike and received minor injuries to his leg and arm.

Paramedics from LifeCare checked him out and called his mother who agreed to allow him to be released at the scene.

The male jumped back on his bike, with a citation in hand for failure to yield, and rode off – on the sidewalk.

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THE DAY THE LIGHTS FELL

Elyria – As if traffic around the Midway Mall couldn’t get any worse – it did Friday afternoon.

Ohio Edison says that a wire snapped on a utility pole causing the pole to collapse and down came the traffic lights on West River Road North at the intersection of Market Drive in front of the old Circuit City.

Elyria Police immediately began rerouting traffic by closing West River northbound at Route 57 and southbound at David Drive.

Employees from the Elyria Communications Department spent two hours repairing and re-hoisting the lights. Street Department officials erected barricades to free up Officers.

One neighbor told Police that she saw a lightening strike the pole but officials do not believe that is what caused the break.

AMBULANCE INVOLVED IN CRASH

Elyria – A couple Paramedics from LifeCare Ambulance found themselves at a crash scene Thursday afternoon – but this time their ambulance was involved in the crash.

Trooper Charlie Jackson of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said that the collision occurred as the ambulance was merging onto Route 57 from Route 2. “The ambulance entered southbound Route 57 from eastbound Route 2. The driver of the ambulance said that he merged onto 57 and had already had the right lane established – where the other driver stated that she had already the right lane established. Somewhere on Route 57 they met – and they crashed.”

When the crash occurred the Paramedics quickly jumped from their truck and checked on the other driver – 64 year old Beverly Newsome of Grafton. Newsome refused any treatment claiming no injuries.
LifeCare had been transporting a patient from the Lorain area to Elyria Memorial Hospital at the time of the crash. Another ambulance was called to the scene and took over control of the patient and continued the transport. The two Paramedics and student who were all on board at the time of the crash also denied any injuries.

A computer technician from LifeCare was also called to the scene to download a dashboard camera video. All eyes, including the Medic who had been in the drivers seat at the time of the crash, Donald Crocker of Valley City, were on the technician as he searched the computer.

They looked to the video to prove one of two stories. Crocker said that he had exited the ramp from Route 2 and had the right lane on 57 southbound established when Newsome came from the left lane into his causing the collision. Newsome said that she had established the right lane and while she saw Crocker trying to merge his ambulance onto 57 she could not get over into the left lane to allow the ambulance in because there was traffic to her left.

In the end it was discovered that the collision did not activate the camera – no video was found.

Jackson said that with two conflicting statements and with the lack of physical evidence the crash would be left as fault unknown for now.

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FOUR INJURED IN ELYRIA CRASH

Elyria – A two-car crash in Elyria sent four people to the hospital Wednesday afternoon and had one little girl comforting her mother as she was being secured to a backboard.

Witnesses say that the driver of a Ford Focus was making a turn into a driveway in the 700 block of Foster Ave when a Grand Am struck them.

The collision sent the Grand Am off the road and into a yard.

Paramedics from LifeCare Ambulance treated and transported a total of four people from the Grand Am while three people in the Focus all signed off at the scene refusing any treatment or transport. All injuries were reported to be minor.

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BANK HELD UP AT GUNPOINT

Elyria – Elyria Police and the FBI are currently searching for the man who walked into the First Merit bank on South Abbe Wednesday afternoon and held it up at gunpoint.

Police say the suspect walked into the bank – that sits next to the Speedway gas station – just after noon and demanded money from a Teller. The Teller turned over an undisclosed amount of cash, along with a dye pack to the man. The dye pack was found a short time later in the area of Route 57 & Taylor Street.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a hooded black coat and a white scarf that covered the suspects face.

As part of the investigation, Police retrieved a copy of surveillance footage from the Speedway gas station.

Anyone with information on the suspect should contact the Elyria Police Department at 440.323.3302.

LORAIN HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE

TMC NEWS PHOTOS / BRIAN WOODS

Call Time: 12:48 p.m. Monday April 20, 2009
Lorain - A home was destroyed by fire today in Lorain on Harriet Street near Clifton Ave. Fire Officials say that all occupants were able to escape the blaze without injury.

Hydrants in the area that were out of service hampered the efforts of Firefighters in the initial stage but a Water Shuttle was called in and set up with area Fire Departments assisting. A water main break near the scene caused flooding along street also caused a problem for Firefighters.

Firefighters focused their attention on neighboring homes to protect them from flaming debris.

Departments assisting Lorain in battling the blaze included Sheffield Township, Elyria Township, Elyria, Amherst, Eaton Township Fire & Rescue, Carlisle Township, Vermilion and Oberlin.

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CAR DESTROYED BY FIRE

JUST HOURS BEFORE BEING SCRAPPED

Story & Photos by Brian Woods
Call Time: 11:40 p.m. Sunday April 19, 2009
Elyria - Jefferson Gleba of 535 Case Ave in Elyria had pans to scrap one of his cars - but Gleba said that because the price of gas is hovering around $2.00 a gallon and he still had half a tank - he was going to drain the remaining fuel.

It was then that Assistant Chief Robert Dempsey of the Elyria Fire Department said Gleba crawled under the car and drilled a hole in the bottom of the tank. Gleba told Dempsey that he was drilling because the car had a syphon lock attached.


The car was fully involved within minutes with Gleba trying to fight the flames with a garden hose until the Firefighters arrived. Family members were calling 9-1-1 and moving other cars in the driveway out of the way of the flames.


Dempsey said that the fire was knocked down quickly and that he notified Wastewater so they could clean up the fuel that had been running down the street due to the rain. Although the car was close to a structure, Dempsey said that there was no damage other then the car and no reported injuries. Dempsey did say that Firefighters ventilated the home due to an asthmatic resident.



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HUSBAND & WIFE DIE IN HOUSE FIRE

TMC NEWS PHOTOS / BRIAN WOODS

BREAKING NEWS
Elyria - Two people are dead tonight after a basement fire swept through their home in the 300 block of Hawthorne Ave - just south of Poplar Street.

Chuck Kennedy lives right across the street from the home and had been outside in his back yard Friday night with friends when they smelled smoke. "I got up to go into the garage for something and when I came out I looked across the street and I could see black smoke billowing out of the chimney. That just didn't look right so me and my buddy walked over to check it out then we could see black smoke pouring from from vents on the side of the house."

As Kennedy and his friend got closer to the house they could see the glow from the fire through the windows. It was then that they began pounding on windows and doors. "I went to the side door and opened the screen door first, then when I opened the wooden door it was being met with resistance and we later found out that it was the wife that was lying there inside the door.With the amount of thick smoke that was pouring from the door, we just couldn't see anything. As much as we wanted to go inside and try to help the people, we were afraid that we might be taken by the smoke."

The pair continued to pound on the windows and with no responses they began alerting the neighbors on either side just in case the fire might spread to their homes.

Kennedy said that when Firefighters arrived they laid some hoses and broke out windows quickly. "The Firemen went inside the home and they came running out with her to the ambulance but we could tell that she was limp and then the ambulance never rushed away so we knew that was bad. Then a few minutes later they brought the husband out and they had him covered in a sheet and placed him in the yard."

Kennedy, who has lived on Hawthorne for 13 years, said that the couple were quiet but would always say hello. "He is the one you would see all the time, she was confined to a wheelchair so we would rarely see her outside, it was always him and again he was very nice - just quiet."

Mark Bally lives just 5 doors down and echoed Kennedy that they were a quiet couple but very nice and polite. "He was very nice, mostly minded his own business but whenever he would see you in the neighborhood he would always say hi and wave."

Bally had been in his back yard Friday evening with a small burner going, he says he finshed up and went back inside of his home around 10. "Then later I was inside the house working on my computer and I heard a noise so I came out to see what happened and that's when I noticed the haze in the street lights and I could still smell smoke but just couldn't find anything so I went back inside the house. Then about 10 minutes later that's when I heard the fire trucks pulling up and that was right about midnight."

Jennifer Gerhart lives a couple houses away and said that she watched as the Firemen brought the couple out of the house. "A bunch of the neighbors were outside watching, it was a terribly sad sight, a very tragic loss. They were nice people and this is horrible thing that happened here tonight."

The Fire Department remains on scene at this hour (3:25 a.m.) along with Columbia Gas who are attempting to shut off the gas to the home. Fire Chief Richard Benton also responded to the scene where he also remains at this hour.

TMC NEWS will bring you more details as they become available.

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HEAD ON COLLISION NEAR MALL

TMC NEWS PHOTO/ BRIAN WOODS

Call Time: 2:49 p.m. Wednesday April 15, 2009
Elyria - A two car collision on West River Road Wednesday afternoon was caused after a man was attempting to pull into Market Drive - when it wasn’t his turn.

Witnesses say that 24 year old Maggie M. Roley, of Elyria, was traveling south on West River Road North crossing the intersection of Market Drive - with a green light when 51 year old Emerson Gillespie, of Elyria, was in the northbound lane making a turn onto Market Drive.

Michelle Carwell said she was traveling behind Roley’s green Malibu when she saw Gillespie turn right into her as he made his turn.

LifeCare Paramedics treated and transported one victim from Roley’s car while all other occupants, including two small children, refused treatment or transport.

Police say that Gillespie was cited for failure to yield while turning left.

"SMART" CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF TODAY

Columbus - Motorcycle fatalities have increased 35 percent over the last three years on Ohio’s roads. With the beginning of another riding season, the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) is kicking off a new campaign to reverse that trend.

Today, Motorcycle Ohio (MO), part of ODPS’ Ohio Traffic Safety Office, gathered with partners to kick off the Ride SMART motorcycle safety campaign, which will work to address all aspects of motorcycle safety including: Ride Sober. Ride Motorcycle Endorsed. Ride Alert. Use the Right Gear. Ride Trained. Ride SMART.

"We have seen a downward trend in overall fatalities on Ohio’s roads," said ODPS Director Henry Guzmán. "While this is positive, it is extremely concerning that motorcycle fatalities have increased. We must work to address areas that have seen increases in deaths and injuries to ensure we are keeping as many people as possible safe on Ohio’s roads."

Partners of the Ride SMART campaign will reach out to as many motorcyclists and motorists as possible to remind them that everyone plays a critical role in motorcycle safety. MO is working with state and local partners (including the city of Columbus, Ohio State University, ODOT, the American Motorcyclist Association, American Bikers Aimed Towards Education (ABATE), law enforcement and other safety partners) to get the message out to riders and motorists alike. MO and its partners will be working to continue these messages across the state during the entire riding season.

Components of the campaign include: distributing materials with safety messages at bars and establishments that host "Bike Nights," working with local law enforcement and the Ohio State Highway Patrol to identify areas to host additional training courses, piloting a motorcycle training course taught in Spanish, airing public service announcements with safety messages directed toward motorists and motorcyclists, funding high-visibility enforcement to discourage high-risk behaviors like drinking and riding, and working with as many partners as possible to get the word out to share the road and Ride SMART.

THREE CAR CRASH ON CLEVELAND ST

A REMINDER TO WATCH THOSE LIGHTS

TMC NEWS PHOTOS/ BRIAN WOODS

Call Time: 2:14 p.m. Wednesday April 15, 2009
Elyria - A three car crash Wednesday afternoon sent one person to the hospital after one driver failed to stop at a traffic light on Cleveland Street and Abbe Road.

John Krasnobrucky, 86 of Elyria, was traveling west on Cleveland Street in his Ford Focus, when he failed to stop at the Abbe Road traffic light. Karen Saunders, 48 of Elyria, was traveling south on North Abbe in her 98 Silver Malibu, when she attempted to make a left turn onto Cleveland Street. As Saunders was making the turn Krasnobrucky struck her vehicle.

The collision sent Krasnobrucky across the street where he then struck 67 year old Stephen Bankson of Elyria who had been sitting in his Honda Odyssey at a red light in the left turn lane on Cleveland Street.

LifeCare Paramedics responded to the scene and treated Saunders then transported her to Elyria Memorial Hospital with non life threatening injuries.

Krasnobrucky was charged with failing to stop at a red light.

FIRE HITS ELYRIA APARTMENTS

WOMAN JUMPS FROM 3rd FLOOR BALCONY

Call Time: 4:20 a.m. Wednesday April 15, 2009
Elyria – An early morning fire in Elyria has left several apartments destroyed and sent one woman to the hospital after she had to jump off of her 3rd floor balcony.Firefighters from Elyria were able to bring the blaze under control in under an hour.

Assistant Chief Tim Mitchell of the Elyria Fire Department said the fire started in a ground level apartment in the southeast corner of the building and then spread up to through the next two floors.

Mitchell said that the tenant in the fire apartment told him that they were sleeping and woke up to the smell of smoke. "They got out of bed and went to turn on a fan, then they said they turned and saw the apartment filling up with flames so they left the apartment right away."

Ashley Auble lives in the building that caught fire - her apartment sits right next to the fire apartment. Auble said that she awoke to her dog barking around 4:20 a.m., thinking the dog was just barking to be annoying she was about ready to scold her pet - but then she began hearing smoke alarms sounding. "When I heard the alarms I got out of bed to see what was going on and then I could hear people talking outside of my window. When I opened the window they were telling me that my building was on fire."

Auble then ran to her door but before opening it she paused - "I thought I better feel it to see fi it was hot and it was so I turned around and decided to go out through the window. I remember hearing before that you shouldn’t open a door if it is hot so I got my dog out then I crawled through the window."

When Auble got outside she was met by other tenants who had also fled their apartments. "There was still one woman trapped on her 3rd floor balcony and we kept telling her that she needed to get out because the fire was getting worse - smoke was everywhere."

With neighbors standing below the woman made her way from the 3rd floor balcony to the one directly below here. Auble said the woman then stumbled and fell to the ground. "We all ran to her side to help and moved her away from the building, that’s when the Firemen came and they started taking car of her and they called for an ambulance right away."

Mitchell said that although he was not sure on the condition of the woman he did say that she had recently had knee surgery.

Paramedics from LifeCare treated and transported the woman to Elyria Memorial Hospital.

The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the families that have been displaced due to the fire and smoke damage.

Mitchell said that investigators from the Department were on hand to begin the investigation.

Updated: 8:21 p.m. Austin, Texas time

PHOTO GALLERY

STORE ROBBED AT GUNPOINT

Amherst – The Amherst Police Department is asking for your help in locating the man who walked into Amherst Vision Tuesday afternoon and held up the store at gunpoint.

Police received the call of an armed robbery that had occurred at Amherst Vision, located at 1927 Cooper Foster Park Road, at 5:00 p.m. this afternoon. The suspect entered the store and produced a black handgun and was able to obtain an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect was described as white male, possibly late teens or early twenties, 5’ 9” to 5’ 10”, medium build, wearing a black ski mask, black coat or possibly green and black flannel jacket.

Suspect displayed a black handgun and was last seen running south from the business. Suspect is possibly driving a dark green or black older mini van.

Officers from the Amherst Police Department searched the area and alerted Departments in surrounding communities but were unable to locate the suspect.

Police say that there were no reported injuries as a result of this robbery.

Anyone with any information on the identity of this suspect is urged to contact the Amherst Police Department Detective Bureau (440-988-2625).

WOMAN CRASHES CAR ON RT 57

Panter said that Mora then started walking away from the scene saying, “Fuck it, I’ll just report the vehicle stolen.”

Elyria – A single car crash on Route 57 in Elyria Sunday afternoon has left a Columbia Station woman facing numerous charges.

Elyria Police arrested 27 year old Megan G. Mora after she drover her 2001 Buick off of Route 57 and ending up in a water filled ditch.

Mora had been traveling north on 57 from the Chestnut Ridge Road when she says another vehicle cut her off – Mora crossed from the left lane (fast lane) and went off the right side of the highway. Mora told Police that she then got out of the car and began walking away from the crash to get to a phone.

Mora’s 16 year old passenger, Andrea Panter, had a slightly different version of the crash for Police. “She (Mora) has thrown the beer bottle out of the car and then we kept driving and when we got by the dealership a car that was in front of us switched lanes and almost hit us, so she swerved to the other lane and lost control.” Panter said they then went off the road, striking a street sign and then went into the ditch. When the car came to rest Panter said that Mora told her to throw the beer bottles out of the car – “I told her that I don’t want to get into trouble, she told me that if I don’t that we would both be in trouble because I knew she was drinking.”

Just after the crash Kimberly Alley of North Ridgeville stopped to help but Mora was asking for help that Alley wasn’t willing to give. “First she asked me to push her out and when I said I couldn’t she started taking bud light beer bottles out of the car and throwing them. Then she asked me to driver her away from the scene.”

Alley went back to her car and called 9-1-1 again to inform them what was happening. Panter said that Mora then started walking away from the scene saying, “Fuck it, I’ll just report the vehicle stolen.”

When Officers arrived they found Mora and Panter walking across the median on 57, the Officer stopped to question the pair but before he was able to ask a question Mora said; “it wasn’t my fault, a guy cut me off.” She then told the Officer that she was leaving the scene to go find a phone.

The Officer, smelling alcohol on Mora’s breath, took her into custody. After Mora was turned over to the Corrections Officers at the City Jail they asked Mora to perform a set of field sobriety tests – Mora replied; “I don’t want to perform shit.”

While completing Mora’s traffic citations and singing a warrant for Endangering Children, due to the fact that Panter is 16 and Mora was arrested for OVI, the Officer discovered that Mora had three previous OVI convictions. He also discovered that Mora’s driver’s license was labeled with “Ignition Interlock Device Require” restriction sticker. The Officer did not locate the Interlock Device in Mora’s car.

Police released Panter to her mother who said she was supposed to be at a friend’s house and that she had never met Mora before.

Police charged Mora with OVI-Refusal (F4), Endangering Children (M1), Reasonable Control (M1), OL.CDL Restrictions (M1) and traffic citations for OVI Suspension (M1).


Call Time: 4:48 p.m. Sunday April 12, 2009


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