FATAL HOUSE FIRE ON SOUTH BROADWAY

Photos Special to TMC NEWS
Sheffield Township – Smoke could be seen for miles away as Firefighters battled a blaze at 4580 South Broadway in Sheffield Township, a fire that claimed one life.


The fire that was reported just before 7 p.m. Wednesday night was just two doors north of the Sheffield Township Fire Department. When Firefighters arrived the house was fully involved already. They tried to perform a rescue of the one person left inside on the second floor but the flames and heat were just too much.


Neighbors ran to the home when they saw the flames and did what they could to help. Neighbor Aaron Pettibone caught a baby that was dropped to him from a second floor window by his father. The man then jumped to his own safety. Both were treated on scene by Firefighters and then transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain.


The name of the victim has not been officially released.


One Fireman was injured at the scene but was not transported to the hospital.


More on this story later on TMC NEWS

CHECKPOINT NABS 3 OVI ARRESTS

Photos by BRIAN WOODS
Elyria – Another Checkpoint was held over the weekend in Elyria, this time it was on Route 57 in the east bound lane between West River Road and Gulf Road.


Lieutenant Travis Hughes of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the key factor in these checkpoints is public awareness. “We had 1,323 cars go through the checkpoint and actually checked 650 cars. If traffic ever backed up we would flush everything through for safety reasons.”


Of the 650 cars that were checked 17 were diverted. Vehicles are pulled aside for a variety of reasons Hughes said, “They may have been drinking or maybe they didn’t their license with them.”
Seven arrests were made during the operation – 3 for OVI, 2 for Driving Under Suspension, and 2 for Possession of Marijuana.


The checkpoint was a collaborative effort between the Elyria Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Grant money was used to fund the operation.


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WOMAN ATTACKED & STABBED IN ELYRIA

Elyria – An Elyria woman was reportedly attacked and stabbed Tuesday afternoon near the new storage units on Taylor Street near Winkles.


Police were called to the area after people found 35 year old Daleisha Bell lying on the ground with a knife still in her stomach area. Bell asked the first Officer on the scene to pull the knife out of her but the Officer tried to calm her, telling her Paramedics are on the way to help her.


LifeCare Paramedics and Elyria Firefighters treated her at the scene and transported Bell to the hospital with the knife still in her stomach area. While Bell was being treated on scene Firefighters requested 9-1-1 Dispatchers to send a helicopter to Elyria Memorial. Bell was then transported to EMH where she was later flown to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.


Bell told Officers that she did not know who stabbed her nor could she describe the suspect. She also could not state where the incident actually took place or where she was coming from.


Bell did tell Police she remembers her glasses being knocked off and a male voice tell her “close your fucking eyes.” Bell said the man then tried to remove her pants and when he saw that she had a bladder bag he became angry and stabbed her.


Officers found Bell’s purse near her with the contents dumped out.


The investigation is ongoing.

WOMAN JUMPS OFF BRIDGE ON 254

Story & Photos by BRIAN WOODS
Sheffield Village – Police are investigating an apparent suicide that occurred early Sunday evening on the Garfield Bridge in Sheffield Village.


Witnesses driving on the Bridge just after 6 p.m. say they saw the woman walk to the south side of the Bridge and jump.


Police, Firefighters and Lorain County Metro Parks Rangers found the woman dead in the water below. A backpack containing identification and personal papers was found near the woman’s body.


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FATHER OF MAYOR DIES WHILE HELPING ANOTHER

Photos & Story by BRIAN WOODS
UPDATED
Sheffield Lake – The father of Sheffield Lake Mayor John Piskura died Sunday afternoon while he attempted to help another man.


Authorities say John “Jack” Piskura, 70 of Sheffield Lake, was helping a man with his jet ski in Lake Erie Sunday afternoon when he had a heart attack. Sheffield Lake Firefighters, assisted by Firefighters from Avon Lake and Sheffield Village arrived and began treating Piskura on the beach.


Firefighters had to use a rope system to get Piskura and the other man off the beach. Piskura was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain where he later died.


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GIRL STRUCK AND PINNED UNDER CAR

Photos by BRIAN WOODS
Elyria – A young girl was struck by a car in the 300 block of Winkles Street Monday night as she was attempting to cross the road.


One witness said the little girl was crossing the street to go where her older sister was playing. Neighbors heard the tires squealing and the girl screaming. When they got to the car they found the little girl pinned under the driver’s side front tire.


As neighbors were frantically dialing 9-1-1 State Trooper Jeff Kaess was on Clark Street about to cross Winkles when he saw the commotion. Kaess said neighbors began yelling to him for help so he turned down the street.


Kaess parked just behind the vehicle and rushed to the little girl’s aid. Neighbors said watched as Kaess attempted to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the little girl’s leg. Moments later Firefighters and Paramedics from LifeCare arrived. As Firefighters worked to free her Paramedics began treating the girl.


Once the girl was freed from under the car LifeCare Paramedics rushed her to Elyria Memorial where a helicopter had been requested.


The Elyria Police Department is investigating the crash.


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MIDDLE RIDGE CRASH KILLS ONE

Amherst Township – A crash on Middle Ridge Road at the intersection of Oberlin Road claimed the life of one man and sent his passenger to Cleveland in critical condition.

Lieutenant Travis Hughes of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the crash occurred just after 1 p.m. Monday afternoon. “Mr. James W. Lacourse, 70 of Lorain, was stopped facing south on Oberlin Road. Mr. David Vaughn, 55 of South Amherst, was south-west bound on Middle Ridge Road. Mr. Lacourse attempted to turn left onto Middle Ridge when his vehicle was struck.”


The collision sent both vehicles off the south side of the roadway and into a front yard. Vaughn, who was driving a 2009 flat bed tow truck struck a tree and Lacourse, who was driving a 2001 Buick, continued and struck a house.


Vaughn’s wrecker sustained heavy frontend damage while Lacourse’s vehicle sustained “disabling damage” according to Hughes.

Amherst Firefighters and LifeCare Paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced Lacourse dead. Lacourse’s passenger, 49 year old Judith Ellis of Lorain, was trapped inside of the passenger side of the car. While Firefighters worked to extricate Ellis a landing zone was set up just down the street in an open field for Metro LifeFlight.


Once removed from the car Paramedics and a team from LifeFlight treated Ellis before flying her to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.


Vaughn was transported to Amherst Hospital with minor injuries and was released a short time later.


The crash remains under investigation by the State Patrol.


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SANDUSKY MAN FLOWN FROM CRASH

Amherst Township – A Sandusky man was flown from a crash scene on Route 2 early Sunday morning in critical condition.


Troopers say 24 year old Ledonrick Pentorn of Sandusky was traveling west on Route 2 when he went off the left side of the road into the median. The car went into a ditch and struck a concrete culvert and became air born for a short time before striking concrete barriers on protecting the eastbound lanes. Pentorn’s Chevy Caviler struck the barriers with such force it pushed several up them into the roadway.


Pentorn’s car came to rest in the median with severe damage and Pentorn entrapped in the driver’s compartment.


Amherst Firefighters responded from a previous crash on Middle Ridge Road and arrived quickly. Seeing that it might be a prolonged extrication and the extent of Pentorn’s injuries Amherst Firefighters and LifeCare Paramedics requested a helicopter to the scene.


With their quick response and skilled cutting Pentorn was removed from the vehicle in about 20 minutes.

Once Pentorn was removed he was treated by LifeCare Paramedics and a LifeFlight team. He was then loaded on the chopper that was sitting on Route 2 and flown to Cleveland in critical condition.


Vaughn’s Auto & Towing were able to hook a cable to the concrete barriers and move them off the roadway and back into place before they removed Pentorn’s car from the scene.


The crash remains under investigation by the State Patrol.


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COUPLE CRASHES DURING ARGUMENT

Amherst Township – A couple traveling on Middle Ridge Road crashed while having an argument – both escape without a scratch.


Trooper Al Marcum of the Ohio State Patrol said John Rebok of Amherst was traveling northbound with a female passenger at the time of the crash. “They stated they were arguing just prior to the crash.”


Marcum said at some point Rebok lost control of his Chevy Silverado and went left of center then came back and went off the right side of the road where he crashed into and snapped a utility pole before coming to rest in a ditch.


Amherst Firefighters responded to the scene being told the couple was trapped inside of the truck but when they arrived the two had self-extricated.


LifeCare Paramedics spoke with both Rebok and his passenger but neither had a scratch on them and both refused any treatment or transport.


Trooper Marcum arrested Rebok at the scene after he failed a field sobriety test. Marcum said Rebok would be charged with OVI and Failure to Control.


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MAN CRITICAL AFTER CRASH ON RT 2

DEVELOPING
Amherst Township – A single car crash on Route 2 near the Oberlin Road overpass left one man critical early Sunday morning.


Amherst Firefighters, LifeCare Paramedics and a Metro LifeFlight Team worked to free and treat the driver before he was flown to Cleveland.


More on this story and a complete PHOTO GALLERY later today on TMCNEWS.NET and on our Facebook Page

TROOPER’S CAR STRUCK IN ELYRIA

Elyria – A State Trooper on routine patrol in Elyria was struck from behind on East Broad Street near Elyria Memorial Hospital Saturday night.


The Trooper was westbound on East Broad approaching East River near EMH when the light turned red. The Trooper stopped his car but Rebecca Gutowski of Elyria said she was unable to stop her 4-door Chevy Blazer due to brake problems according to Trooper Paul March. “She said the brake pedal went all the way to the floor when she attempted to stop.”


The impact pushed the Trooper’s car into the intersection. The Trooper was uninjured in the crash.


Trooper March said he administered tests at the scene on Gutowski and eliminated alcohol as a factor in the crash. Gutowski and her two children were also not injured in the crash. Gutowski was charged with Assured Clear Distance.


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PREGNANT WOMAN FLOWN FROM CRASH

Story & Photos by BRIAN WOODS
Sheffield Township – A pregnant North Ridgeville woman was flown to MetroHealth Medical Center Thursday morning after being involved in a traffic crash.


Ohio State Patrol says 27 year old Cassandra Price of North Ridgeville was traveling east on North Ridge Road when she ran a red light and struck 62 year old Martha Ralston of Lorain.


Due to heavy damage to the vehicles Firefighters had to extricate Ralston from her 2001 PT Cruiser. Ralston and her husband were both treated at the scene and transported to Mercy Regional Hospital in Lorain. Both husband and wife were treated and released.


Lorain County Sheriff’s Deputies set up a landing zone in the Sheffield Shopping Center near the old movie theatre for a helicopter to transport Price to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland where she was treated and released.


The crash remains under investigation according to the State Patrol.


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HOME INVASION – 3 PEOPLE ASSAULTED

Elyria – Three men entered a home in the 200 block of Chestnut Street in Elyria just after midnight Friday morning with baseball bats and tire irons. They assaulted and robbed the residents.

Police responded to 213 Chestnut Street and found 3 victims, all with head injuries, on the front porch of the home. The victims stated that three black males, all wearing grey hoodies, hats and bandannas over their faces, entered the home and demanded money. One suspect was carrying a baseball bat, another a tire iron and the third had something wrapped in a blanket that appeared to be a long barreled rifle. One of the victims pulled the blanket off and saw an unknown wooden object. The victim yelled to the others that it wasn’t a gun. Another victim then attempted to call the police, that is when the 3 suspects began beating the residents. After striking three of the residents on the head the three men fled from the home across Chestnut and through an alley. Police who arrived on scene within minutes of the call were unable to locate the suspects.

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MAN KILLS WIFE ON COWLEY ROOAD

DEVELOPING – Lorain County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are on scene of a homicide at this hour trying to piece together why a husband allegedly killed his wife.
Sources say the man called the Sheriff’s Department saying that he had killed his wife. He also reportedly said he would cooperate with Deputies when they arrived at the house.
The man has been taken into custody by Deputies.
A dog warden who was called to the scene to secure an animal was bitten on the hand and had to be transported to the hospital by Grafton Township Fire Department to Elyria Memorial Hospital.
The names will be released later today. More on this story as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Sheriff’s Deputies were called to 14900 Cowley Road around 1:30 a.m. for a reported homicide. The caller, 42 year old William Dembie, a 13 year veteran Corrections Officer at the Lorain County Jail told the Dispatcher that he had killed his wife and beheaded her.

Deputies found 33 year old Holly Dembie lying dead, not beheaded but with multiple stab wounds.

Dembie remains in jail on a 5 million dollar bond and has been placed on administrative leave without pay from the Sheriff’s Office.

MOTORCYCLE CRASHES INTO CAMPER

Photos by MATT HARTMAN
Eaton Township – One man is critical after a collision between a motorcycle and a camper on State Route 82 in Eaton Township Sunday night.


Trooper J.P. Toth of the Ohio State Patrol said 38 year old Tony Hale of Elyria was traveling eastbound on Route 83 on his Honda motorcycle around 7 p.m. when he collided with 46 year old Thomas Farley of Elyria who was just ahead of Hale. “Farley was driving a Ford F150 that was towing a Coachmen Trailer when he began to slow down to make a turn into a private driveway. As Farley slowed down Hale crashed into the rear left corner of the trailer.”


Eaton Township Firefighters treated Hale at the scene and because of the severity of his head injuries a helicopter was called to the scene. Hale was flown from the scene to Cleveland Metro a short time later in critical condition. Toth said Hale was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.


The crash remains under investigation.


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