People seeking help for drug addiction will soon be able to turn to Lodi police without fear of criminal charges.

The Lodi Police Department announced it has partnered with a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization, Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, that works with 46 police agencies across the nation to get opiate addicts treatment instead of jail time.

Keith Keough

“I’ve been in law enforcement a long time (35 years),” Lodi Police Chief Keith Keough said. “A majority of the calls we respond to have to do with drugs or alcohol.”

The program, which he hopes to get up and running by January, will allow people who want to overcome their addiction to walk into the police station and ask for help. Keough said they can turn over any drugs or drug equipment they have and they won’t get charged. Instead, the department will help them get into a drug treatment program.

“It’s for anybody who shows up at the police department, but obviously, we’d like to get our own residents help,” he said. “Our first job is to find them a rehab center that will accept them. We will do most of that legwork for them.”

Even people who don’t have the insurance or Medicaid to pay for the treatment will benefit from the program, which was developed earlier this year by Gloucester, Mass., Police Chief Leonard Campanello.

“We didn’t have a whole lot of resources to get these people help,” Keough said. “That’s where PAARI comes in to try to finance a person to stay in rehab. They have a fundraising arm of the organization to pay for the rehab for these addicts.”

Keough said PAARI works with drug rehab centers across the nation, but he does not yet know which ones his department will be working with.

He said the new program is for people who have “hit rock bottom” and truly want recovery and aren’t just wanting to avoid criminal charges.

“If there’s an arrest warrant out for someone, they won’t be taken to rehab, they will be arrested on the warrant,” he said.

“If they don’t have a warrant and are not a suspect for other crimes, those are the ones we’ll try to get in a program.

“We’re looking for the people who realize they need and want the help. People might not trust us at first because we’re the police, but we just want to help get them better and placed in a rehab (program).”

Keough said all of he officers will be trained on “how to deal with people who come to us for help,” and they will train about 12 volunteers who are needed for the program to be effective.

“None of our current resources will be used for this,” he said.

He said another detail that he’s still working out with PAARI is how to transport people from the police station to a drug treatment center.

The partnership makes Lodi the first PAARI agency in Ohio. Keough said his department had been looking for a way to combat the heroin epidemic and help get people better.

“Nothing else was really working,” he said. “The criminal justice system is not really equipped to handle this problem.”

Keough said he heard about PAARI through Lodi resident Nicole Walmsley, 30, who moved back to Lodi from Youngstown in June. She’s a recovering heroin addict who for the past two years has been involved in many walks and talks about drug addiction. Since PAARI’s establishment, she’s been an advocate for the program.

“Had this been in place five years ago, I wouldn’t have committed the crimes I did to get the help I needed,” she said.

Walmsley said she reached out to seven other Medina County law enforcement agencies, but Lodi was the only one to jump on board.

Medina Police Chief Patrick Berarducci was one of the chiefs with whom she spoke.

“I have been looking into that program,” Berarducci said.

He said his department already practices some of what the program offers.

“You can walk into our department anytime and ask for help and we’re going to help you,” he said.

“What she’s talking about is a more formalized referral. As a matter of policy, I would not permit people from our agency to charge someone who voluntary turned over their contraband.”

Keough said Walmsley will present the program to the Medina County Police Chiefs’ Association’s monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2 at the Montville Township municipal building, 6665 Wadsworth Road, Medina.

“I’m hoping once we meet with the chiefs, more people will come on board,” Keough said. “I think a lot of the police agencies are trying to think about this proactively.

“It’s well worth the effort. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

A 22-year-old Wadsworth Township man pleaded not guilty Thursday to punching a female corrections officer in the face when he was in jail in March.

Seth D.J. Rupp

Seth D.J. Rupp, of the 10100 block of Ruth Road, is charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony punishable by up to eight years in prison.

Medina County Sheriff’s Capt. Ken Baca said the corrections officer who was punched was forced to miss at least a week of work as a result of Rupp’s alleged attack. Baca said she suffered a concussion and a hairline fracture to the skull.

Prosecutors said in Rupp’s indictment that the incident happened March 7. Baca said Rupp attacked the officer after he was forced into lockdown for violating jail rules.

“Rupp said he was going in his cell, and anyone who tried to move him would have some trouble,” Baca said.

Corrections officers attempted to defuse the situation, Baca said, but Rupp refused to cooperate and officers used pepper spray to disable him. A fight then broke out.

“At one point during the fight, he took a full swing at one of the corrections officers,” Baca said. “That’s when she got the concussion and fracture.”

According to court records, Rupp was in jail at the time on charges of safecracking and attempted burglary. He was sentenced to prison and was released Nov. 1. Three days later, he was indicted on the assault charges.

Rupp was arrested Nov. 13 and awaits a tentative January trial date in the county jail, where he’s being held on $75,000 bond.

At his arraignment Thursday, attorney John Celebrezze was appointed to represent Rupp. Celebrezze could not be reached for comment.

A two-vehicle crash at Spieth and Abbeyville roads on Sunday afternoon sent 10 people to area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries.

Rescue workers on scene said the crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. in York Township.

“Usually we only have three or four people with injuries in crashes like this,” said a firefighter, who arrived to help as a first responder. “But in this case, we’re talking a minivan and a Jeep that were full to the gills.”

No one was killed in the crash, the firefighter said. Injuries were minor to serious.

The road was blocked off while firefighters responded, and the road was clear by 3 p.m.

The K-9 units in Medina County are a special breed. On the one hand, the police dogs can help apprehend ferocious criminals and sniff out illegal drugs. In their alter ego, they can be kid-friendly and live a happy life at home with their handlers.

There are five police dogs in the county, working with Brunswick, Lodi and Montville Township police departments; the Medina County Sheriff’s Office; and the Medina County Drug Task Force.

Because of confidentiality issues, the Drug Task Force could not divulge who their K-9 officer was.

One of the dogs — Hero, the police dog for the Sheriff’s Office — is close to retirement. The sheriff is trying to raise money for a new one.

The Lodi police dog, Dakota, is different from most that make up K-9 units. He’s non-aggressive and used mostly for drug-sniffing.

Here is a look at the police dogs in the county:

Nico

Handler: Brunswick Officer Mark Luciano

Nico is a Belgian malinois and was born in Holland. He was born in September 2011 and was certified in April 2012. He completed his training with Luciano and the team was certified by the state of Ohio for patrol and narcotics work.

Luciano said he’s worked with Nico for about 2ﾽ years. Nico searches for criminals; finds illegal drugs; and helps with crowd control, apprehension of fleeing individuals, tracking lost people, building searches and recovery of evidence from crimes. He also protects his partner.

He was imported from Shallow Creek Kennels in Pennsylvania where he also took part in team training.

“He’s trained to detect certain odors, like cocaine, crystal meth, heroin and marijuana,” Luciano said. “After he’s told to search, if he detects any odors, he’ll give me an alert.”

Luciano said Nico has been very successful in detecting drugs.

“He’s done very well,” he said.

It’s the second police dog that Luciano has trained. The other was the late Blackjack. Luciano was extremely saddened when he was forced to put Blackjack to sleep two months ago.

“It’s horrible,” he said. “That dog’s life is you. That dog will die for you. It’s a hard thing to do. He’s more than a pet.”

Luciano, a former Marine, said Nico is his constant companion.

“I’m with my dog 24/7,” he said. “He’s my responsibility. I literally take my work home with me. He’s not a dog to me. He’s my partner.”

They have created a tight bond.

“There’s not a day I go to work, he’s not with me,” Luciano said. “I couldn’t get away from him if I wanted to. I feed him daily and bathe him. All of his care is through me.”

Nico knows when it’s time to leave for work. He spins around in circles in anticipation.

Luciano was given the opportunity to take over the K-9 unit about eight or nine years ago and hasn’t regretted it in the least.

He called the K-9 unit an “invaluable tool.” Nico not only does narcotic work, but he goes on patrol with Luciano.

While doing a building search, Luciano said he’ll send in Nico to track suspects who have fled from the police.

“I’ll make an announcement and send the dog in,” Luciano said. “If he finds somebody, he takes care of business. He will bite and hold them until I get there.”

He said having a K-9 unit isn’t cheap.

“It’s an investment,” he said.

He said he and Nico go to training two times a month with other agencies, including ones from Parma, Brecksville, Independence and Macedonia.

“It’s 100 percent needed,” Luciano said. “You need a group of people to keep dogs proficient. I train with my dog every day.”

Nico was certified through the Ohio Police Officers Academy.

He’s been trained to sniff out drugs. Luciano said some dogs in prison can sniff out cell phones.

“You can teach them to sniff out any odor you want,” Luciano said. “It’s crazy what you can do.

“There is a lot these dogs have to know. Everything they do is for a toy, a reward and approval of their handler. If they find some drugs and get their (tug) toy, they are as happy as can be.”

Dakota

Handler: Lodi police Cpl. David Brantner

Dakota has replaced the late Bosco, who retired from duty after four years of service.

PHOTO PROVIDED
Corp. David Brantner of the Lodi Police Department is shown with his K-9, Dakota.

Dakota is different from many police dogs. She’s an English Labrador retriever.

“She’s a nonaggressive K-9,” Brantner said.

Dakota works the narcotics detection detail and does public relations functions — perfect for the needs of a town the size of Lodi.

“She’s really good with people and with kids,” Brantner said.

Brantner has worked with Dakota for almost two years now. She was certified in June.

“I have 100 percent confidence in her ability,” he said.

Brantner said it’s a big commitment having a police dog with him day and night.

“My wife is pretty understanding about it,” he said. “She’s more of a family dog when she’s at home. I have two younger kids, and she’s very good with them.

“They become your family.”

Brantner said he trains with Dakota, who will be 2 in February, every other week with a group of K-9 units.

“(Training is) almost an everyday thing,” he said. “I have the resources to train her on my own. She is very loyal.”

Blek

Handler: Montville Township Officer Ryan Gibbons

Blek, a German shepherd, was imported from the Czech Republic a little more than a year ago. Gibbons said Blek will turn 2 in February. Gibbons gives his commands in Czech.

LAWRENCE PANTAGES / GAZETTE
Montville Township Police officer Ryan Gibbons is the handler for the K-9 dog Blek.

Blek’s primary jobs are to sniff out crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana; and apprehend subjects.

“He’s been great,” Gibbons said. “He’s had a lot of success. But it’s still early.”

He said with the heroin epidemic facing the county, having a K-9 unit is imperative.

“We can’t smell heroin,” he said. “With a K-9, they can smell those narcotics when they search a vehicle. We make quite a few crack and heroin arrests. It’s not slowing down.”

Gibbons said his department makes a lot of marijuana arrests, as well.

“People think marijuana is not that big a deal,” he said. “It really is. Marijuana is what they get started on. People are getting hurt on marijuana. It’s not an innocent drug.”

Gibbons said Blek is with him 24/7.

“Part of my duties is to take care of my dog,” he said. “He’s always with me. Our car is our office. I feed him and take care of him. He’s at work with you for 40 hours a week.

“He likes to work. He’s a workhorse. He is really, really smart. He knows when the car is ready to leave. Every time I pick up the radio, he knows something is going happen. He gets heightened and more aware. He’s ready to get out and do some work.”

Montville Township police Sgt. Brett Harrison was fined $500 and convicted in the death of his K-9 partner, Beny, that died after being left in a cruiser for four hours on a hot September day.

“It was a tragedy,” Gibbons said. “It was a mistake that wasn’t intentional. It’s very hard to get over, especially with the person it happened to. You spend more time with the dog than with your family.

“Everyone makes mistakes. It’s not the first time it’s happened. It’s happened in several other states.”

Hero

Handler: Medina County sheriff’s Deputy Dave King

Hero, a 10-year-old German shepherd, is close to retirement. He was acquired in 2006.

Sheriff Tom Miller said his K-9 unit has been more active in recent years because of the heroin epidemic.

“We have a need for a strong K-9 unit,” Miller said. “We have officers who are committed to being part of that K-9 unit, but we lack the funds necessary to accomplish this goal.”

Miller estimated the total cost of getting a new dog at about $15,000, which includes training for the dogs and deputies, as well as upgrades for cruisers and other equipment.

“We need the help of the community,” Miller said, “to ensure that this valuable unit can be maintained and hopefully expanded.

Confidential K-9

Handler: Member of Medina County Drug Task Force

The Task Force also employs a K-9 unit, but Director Gary Hubbard said he was not able to provide the handler’s name.

“We do have a narcotics sniffing K-9 at the Drug Task Force,” he said. “Due to the covertness of our operation, I do not advertise the fact.”

He said having a police dog is invaluable in sniffing out drugs. His department has had its dog for about a year. Hubbard said it helps them “fulfill our mission.”

He said his men are sworn in as deputies, but they are not a part of the Sheriff’s Office. He said it’s a stand-alone entity in the county.

They have full-time officers from Medina and Wadsworth on staff.

“(The K-9 unit is a) valuable tool,” Hubbard said. “After the most recent court decision, it’s more important for law enforcement.”

He said officers can detain people only for so long unless they have probable cause.

“Having more dogs available helps everyone do their job more effectively,” he said.

He said having a K-9 unit is something new for the Drug Task Force. He said its dog also helps other agencies in the county if needed.

“It’s not just exclusive to us,” Hubbard said.

A Medina County judge has denied a motion to dismiss the case against a Medina man who was found guilty in October of assaulting a police officer.

Danzel L. Boggues-Mannings, 28, of the 300 block of West Union Street, was arrested May 14 while police served a search warrant for suspected drugs at a home in the 100 block of Lafayette Road in Medina. Boggues-Mannings’ children were at the home when police arrived because Boggues-Mannings’ cousin lived there and was watching them while Boggues-Mannings was at work.

According to police reports, Boggues-Mannings argued with Medina police Sgt. Ed Kinney and Detective Josh Grusendorf because they would not let him collect his children. The confrontation ended with the officers falling down a flight of stairs, resulting in minor injuries that did not require hospitalization.

Boggues-Mannings was found guilty by a jury on two counts of assault on a police officer, fourth-degree felonies punishable by up to 1ﾽ years in prison.

In late October, Boggues-Mannings’ attorney argued in court documents that Boggues-Mannings had been found guilty despite a lack of evidence in the case.

“There was not hitting, striking, kicking or shove with an intention to cause or attempt to cause harm,” attorney Mike Callow wrote. “The act of entering a doorway, even if making contact or touching a police officer, is not sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the element of knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm.”

He cited testimony at Boggues-Mannings’ trial in which the police officers said they were not hurt and that Boggues-Mannings never threw punches. Callow — who said Boggues-Mannings had “no idea” there were drugs in the home when he dropped his children off — explained that his client only tried to push past police to get into the house and retrieve his children.

“There is not an automatic correlation between meaningless physical contact with a police officer and attempt to cause physical harm,” Callow wrote.

County Common Pleas Judge Joyce V. Kimbler denied the motion Nov. 18, explaining that the evidence “is such that reasonable minds can reach different conclusions as to whether each material element of a crime has been proved beyond a reasonable doubt.”

She wrote that she was required to rule by placing the prosecutors’ arguments in the most favorable light.

“Applying this standard to the facts of the instant matter,” Kimbler wrote, “the court hereby denies the defendant’s motion for acquittal.”

Boggues-Mannings is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 10.

The Medina Township Police Department has released a sketch of a bearded man in connection with its investigation into the reported sexual assault of a woman last week.

The victim told police the man was driving a small white pickup, possibly a Ford Ranger, with two men inside.

Police responded to a report of a sexual assault at 5:45 p.m. Thursday. A woman said she was sexually assaulted at Hamilton and Blakeslee roads in Medina Township.

She was transported to a local hospital after the incident and met with police to describe the suspect Saturday.

A 40-year-old Medina man died Sunday in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 71 in Strongsville, according to police.

Guy Pavlas, of the 300 block of Roshon Drive, was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash, which occurred at about 6:30 p.m., closed I-71 northbound while debris was cleared.

The other driver in the crash, whose name was not released, was transported to Southwest Medical Center for treatment.

Strongsville police reported the cause of the crash had not yet been determined.

A 53-year-old Spencer man pleaded guilty Monday to raping a girl repeatedly over five years.

Peter L. May, of the 300 block of North Main Street, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison on charges of raping a child younger than 13 and several counts of sexual battery. He’s scheduled for sentencing before Medina County Common Pleas Judge Joyce V. Kimbler on Dec. 28.

County Prosecutor Dean Holman said May sexually assaulted the girl from 2005 to 2009 when she was between 12 and 16 years old. He had a criminal record prior to the charges, which were levied in September.

Holman said the change of plea was the result of a plea deal. The girl, now in her early 20s, agreed to the terms as well, the prosecutor said.

“We consulted with the victim and she was fully supportive of this arrangement,” Holman said.

May’s attorney, Elyria-based Kenneth Lieux, could not be reached for comment Monday.

According to Ohio law, defendants charged with raping a child younger than 13 face mandatory life imprisonment. The sexual battery charges carry up to five years in prison, which will be tacked on to the life sentence.

In exchange for the change of plea, prosecutors dropped a violent sexual predator specification that alleged May is likely to rape again in the future and carried additional prison time.

Donations toward the purchase of a new county police dog are rolling in.

LAWRENCE PANTAGES / GAZETTE Medina County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit handler Dave King and Hero attended a check presentation ceremony at the Erhart / York Township Fire Department on Monday night.

The Erhart Firefighters Association presented a $500 donation to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office on Monday night, joining Domino’s Pizza and residents in fundraising efforts to help 10-year-old police dog, Hero, retire.

The Erhart Firefighters Association is a support organization for the volunteer Erhart/York Township Fire Department, which funds the department’s equipment and expenses. The nonprofit raises money for the department every year through several fundraisers, including an annual Swiss steak dinner. This year’s dinner fed 810 people and raised $6,000 — $500 of which will go toward the sheriff’s fundraiser for a new police dog.

“It’s a joint public safety effort,” Erhart treasurer and fire department Lt. Patrick Villeneuve said. “I thought it was a natural tie-in.”

Villeneuve, who also works as a dispatcher for the sheriff’s office, said York Township uses the sheriff’s department for protection since the township does not have its own police force.

“It’s great that departments are supporting us on this,” Sheriff Tom Miller said.

Not including the Erhart Firefighters Association donation, the sheriff’s office raised $9,685 as of Friday largely through individual donations ranging from $5 to $1,000. Miller said a new police dog will cost $12,800. Equipment upgrades — such as replacing the carriers in cruisers — will cost extra.

Domino’s Pizza locations in Medina and Brunswick raised money for a new dog during a “dough raiser,” where 10 percent of all proceeds last Wednesday were earmarked for a new dog. Miller said the fundraiser brought in about $450.

Police dogs are used to detect narcotics and perform search and rescue. Miller said the department hopes to get a dog, like Hero, that has been trained in both disciplines.

An appellate court Monday upheld a two-year prison sentence for a Brunswick man convicted of sharing child pornography from his home computer.

Brandon Price

A Medina County judge found Brandon Price, 29, of the 2000 block of George Drive, guilty last year of five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving minors, second-degree felonies that accuse him of publishing child pornography. Each charge was punishable by up to eight years in prison.

Price’s sentence was put on hold pending the result of his appeal. He also was labeled a Tier II sex offender, meaning he must register with the local sheriff’s office twice annually for 25 years.

On Monday, the 9th District Court of Appeals ruled county Common Pleas Judge James L. Kimbler, who since has retired, was within the bounds of Ohio law when he found Price guilty at a bench trial in June 2014.

At trial, prosecutors alleged Price used peer-to-peer sharing software to download child pornography from a computer network. Peer-to-peer software works by connecting folders on one computer with folders on other computers, allowing files in the folders to be searched and downloaded by other users of the software. The software commonly is used to download music, movies and other media — including pornography, both adult and child — illegally.

Price’s attorney, Wesley A. Johnston, argued in his Oct. 6 appeal that there were four errors in the case. Appellate judges Julie Schafer, Beth Whitmore and Donna Carr overruled all of Johnston’s arguments:

• Johnston argued there was not enough evidence to convict Price. Judges acknowledged that no owner of the laptop was ever made explicit, but explained that investigators found Price to be the computer’s primary user. In addition, they said the computer was discovered with Price’s wallet on top of it, which implicated him.
• Johnston said the court improperly allowed testimony from an investigator who wasn’t on the witness list. Judges said the investigator was allowed to testify only after consulting with Price’s attorney. The attorney was given a chance to delay the trial to prepare for the investigator’s testimony, but he declined to postpone.
• Johnston said the judge should have granted a motion to throw out the conviction at sentencing. Johnston argued then that there wasn’t enough evidence, and the judge denied the argument. Appellate judges agreed with the trial judge.
• Finally, Johnston alleged Price’s trial attorney, L. Ray Jones, was ineffective. Johnston’s allegations relied on similar arguments used to support other allegations of error, and the judges cited similar reasons for denying the arguments.

A Strongsville woman will spend three years in prison on charges that she provided heroin to a Medina woman who died of a drug overdose last February.

Maureen Sullivan

Maureen L. Sullivan, 33, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs and trafficking in heroin. The charges are first-, second- and fourth-degree felonies punishable by up to a total of 20 1/2 years in prison.

Sullivan, who was sentenced by Medina County Common Pleas Judge Christopher J. Collier, was accused of accidentally killing Jamie Butler, 37, of the 90 block of Guilford Road, on Feb. 8, 2014. According to Butler’s obituary, she was a licensed practical nurse with a husband and two children.

County Prosecutor Dean Holman on Tuesday said the county’s heroin problem has reached such severity that it only makes sense to use the state’s manslaughter laws to charge people who provide drugs to those who die of overdoses.

“It’s a public health issue that people are dying from the use of heroin,” Holman said, “and we in law enforcement are trying to deter that in a number of ways. When we can identify people in the sale of drugs where death occurred, we plan to seek prosecution of manslaughter every time.”

He said drug treatment is a viable option in most cases of drug possession or addiction, but Holman explained the charges against criminals should change when a death is involved.

“We’re all for treatment of users, but when someone dies, you’ve got to go punitive,” he said. “People are dying, and we’re just trying to save lives.”

So far this year, more people in Medina County have died of drug overdoses than of car crashes. According to data provided by the Medina County Health Department, deaths by heroin overdose skyrocketed in 2012 and have continued to remain a problem each year since.

Sullivan had two attorneys representing her. Her primary attorney, Reuben Sheperd, could not be reached for comment, and her secondary attorney, Andrew Parker, declined to comment.

Sullivan’s charges related to Butler’s death are reminiscent of at least three other cases in which people who provided drugs were charged for the deaths of county residents who overdosed.

Last September, 32-year-old Heather Graham was sentenced to three years in prison for providing heroin that killed 17-year-old Brittnee Johns, of Medina. Graham is expected to be released from prison Aug. 2, 2017.

In May, 37-year-old Angela Johnson was sentenced in Wayne County Common Pleas Court to five years in prison for providing heroin that killed 29-year-old Susan Royer, of Chatham Township. Johnson is expected to be released from prison May 25, 2020.

In June, then-35-year-old Kevin Fisher pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges related to the death of 49-year-old Lorrie Pratt, of Creston. Fisher is undergoing psychological evaluation at the Akron Psycho-Diagnostic Clinic as part of the case.

Guns were used in two Medina County assaults, homicides and accidental shootings in the past year — much fewer than urban centers such as Cleveland or Akron, according to data compiled by a national nonprofit.

The Trace, a national nonprofit, compiled this detailed map of gun-related assaults, homicides and accidental shootings in the past year. Medina County registered only two incidents in the past year. (MAP COURTESY OF THE TRACE)

The Trace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gun violence in the U.S., released a map Tuesday marking every non-suicide shooting in which a person was injured or killed in the past year. Each shooting is marked by a peg, similar to Google Maps, which provides detailed information about each individual shooting.

Data on the map was provided by the Gun Violence Archive, another nonprofit that aims to compile gun violence data in real time as opposed to yearly releases by the federal government.

According to the map, the incidents in Medina County were the following:

• On Dec. 21, 2014, 77-year-old Boyd Ross, of York Township, accidentally shot his wife, Charlene Ross. The man told police he was checking a shotgun to see whether it was loaded when the weapon discharged, spraying pellets through a closet wall and striking his wife in the head. The woman, 75, was flown by helicopter to Akron City Hospital, where she made a full recovery.
• On Sept. 18, three people were found dead of gunshot wounds in a Medina condominium on Pinewood Drive. According to coroner and police reports, 63-year-old William Nemeth likely took his own life after he killed his wife, 47-year-old Michelle Nemeth, and her adopted 12-year-old daughter, Mieya Daniel.

The map does not include single-victim suicides or shootings where no one was injured, such as an incident in June in which a home on Parnham Drive in Montville Township was struck by a bullet. Prosecutors declined to file charges against the suspected shooters, who had fired guns from about a mile away. The shooters were aiming at a proper backstop, but police said they likely missed the target.

The map also does not include incidents in which a gun was used but no rounds were fired, such as pistol whippings or threats of violence.

Medina County Sheriff Tom Miller told The Gazette in an interview that he’s not surprised so few noteworthy shootings occurred in the county this past year.

“This is a compliment of the people in the community,” he said. “I don’t want to take away from law enforcement’s role, but I think this is more a reflection of people in the community leading lifestyles that are safer.”

He said sheriff’s deputies and local police departments often train for active-shooter events, but the county has very few shootings compared with urban communities.

“I think people here are more aware of gun safety and owning them responsibly,” Miller said. “But this is something that can happen at any church on any Sunday or any other location.”

According to the data, guns were used in more than 30,000 assaults, homicides and accidental shootings in the U.S. so far this year. Of those shootings, the data indicates that more than 12,000 people were killed and more than 25,000 were injured.

More than 300 shootings were reported in Cuyahoga County, and about 50 were reported in Summit County.

In October, the Pew Research Center found deaths by gun violence reached a high in the 1990s and have declined since then. Since the early 2000s, though, gun violence rates have remained steady.

Gun violence is among the leading causes of nonmedical death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2012, Bloomberg News projected that deaths by firearms in the U.S. could surpass traffic fatalities this year.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The teenager’s mother clapped her hands and screamed with joy as she watched an Oklahoma City jury convict a former police officer of raping her daughter and sexually assaulting seven other women.

Minutes after 29-year-old Daniel Holtzclaw was found guilty, the mother of his youngest accuser said she hoped the case would show that the problem of police sexual misconduct wasn’t limited to one officer or one department.

“It’s a problem for the nation,” she told The Associated Press.

Holtzclaw was convicted Thursday night of preying on the teenager and other women he met on his police beat in a minority, low-income neighborhood. He could spend the rest of his life in prison based on the jury’s recommendation that he serve a total of 263 years, including a 30-year sentence on each of four first-degree rape convictions.

In total, the jury convicted Holtzclaw of 18 counts connected to eight of the 13 women, all of whom were black, who testified against him. Jurors acquitted him on 18 other counts. He sobbed as the verdict was read aloud.

His case brought new attention to the problem of sexual misconduct committed by law enforcement officers, something police chiefs have studied for years.

Holtzclaw’s case was among those examined in an Associated Press investigation of sexual misconduct by law enforcement. The AP’s yearlong probe revealed about 1,000 officers had lost their licenses for sex crimes or other sexual misconduct over a six-year period.

The AP’s finding is undoubtedly an undercount of the problem. Not every state has a process for banning problem officers from re-entering law enforcement. And of those states that do, great variations exist in whether officers are prosecuted or reported to their state licensing boards.

A common thread among cases of police sexual misconduct was they involved victims who were among society’s most vulnerable: juveniles, drug addicts, and women in custody or with a criminal history.

That’s exactly who authorities accused Holtzclaw of targeting.

After receiving a report from a grandmother who said Holtzclaw forced her to perform oral sex during a traffic stop, police identified a dozen other women who said Holtzclaw had victimized them.

The youngest was the 17-year-old girl. She was the last to testify at Holtzclaw’s trial.

The girl recalled Holtzclaw pulling up in his police car as she walked home one night in June 2014. Holtzclaw drove her to her family’s home and walked her to the porch, where he told her he had to search her. She said he grabbed her breasts, then pulled down her pink shorts and raped her.

She testified that he asked if it was the first time she had ever had sex with a cop. Her DNA was found on his uniform trousers.

Adams asked the girl during the trial about perceived inconsistencies in her testimony as well as her use of drugs. She pushed back at one point, telling him, “I’m really getting upset by the way you’re coming after me.”

The jury convicted Holtzclaw of first-degree rape, second-degree rape and sexual battery in the girl’s case.

Her mother said her daughter didn’t want to talk about the case anymore, but that she was relieved about the conclusion of a “long journey to justice.”

“I feel like justice has been served today,” she said. “It is a comfort to us all.”

The AP generally does not identify victims of sex crimes and is not using the mother’s name so as not to identify her daughter.

Several of Holtzclaw’s accusers had been arrested or convicted of crimes, and his attorney made those issues a cornerstone of his defense strategy. Adams questioned several women at length about whether they were high when they allegedly encountered Holtzclaw. He also pointed out that most did not come forward until police identified them as possible victims after launching their investigation.

Ultimately, that approach did not sway the jury to dismiss all the women’s stories.

Holtzclaw was convicted of one of two charges related to a woman who testified he gave her a ride home, then followed her into her bedroom where he forced himself on her and raped her, telling her, “This is better than county jail.”

That woman testified in orange scrubs and handcuffs because she had been jailed on drug charges hours before appearing in court. But the jury still convicted Holtzclaw of forcible oral sodomy in her case.

Adams declined to comment after the verdict was read.

Holtzclaw, who turned 29 on Thursday, was a former college football star who joined law enforcement after a brief attempt at pursuing an NFL career. He was fired before the trial began.

His father — a police officer in Enid, about 100 miles northwest of Oklahoma City — his mother and sister were in the courtroom as the verdict was read. At least one accuser was present, as well as several black community leaders.

Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said after the verdict that Holtzclaw’s attorneys were responsible for ensuring there was an all-white jury considering the case. Some supporters of the women questioned whether the jury would fairly judge their allegations. Holtzclaw is half-white, half-Japanese.

Prater said he wanted a jury that was a “good cross-section of our community,” but defense attorneys eliminated every potential black juror during the selection process.

He added that he hoped the case showed that his office and local law enforcement will stand up for any one, no matter their race or background.

“I don’t care what they look like, where they go to church, what god they worship, or how much money they make,” he said. “We stand up for people in this community.”

The post Rape conviction brings new light to problem of sexual misconduct by law enforcement appeared first on Chronicle-Telegram.

Wadsworth police are seeking the identity on this man, who allegedly robbed the Huntington Bank branch in the Wadsworth Giant Eagle. (PHOTO PROVIDED)

Police are seeking help from the public in finding the identity of a man who held up a grocery store bank over the weekend in Wadsworth.

The robbery happened at the Huntington Bank branch inside Giant Eagle, 825 Ambassador Drive, on Saturday afternoon, just after 3:20 p.m. Wadsworth police Lt. Rob Wyrick said the man — who was captured wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap on security cameras — passed a note to a teller demanding cash. No one was injured in the exchange.

Wadsworth police are seeking the identity on this man, who allegedly robbed the Huntington Bank branch in the Wadsworth Giant Eagle. (PHOTO PROVIDED)

Wyrick said there was no report about how much money was taken.

Police have no leads on the suspect, Wyrick said. As captured on security footage, he appeared to be a white man who stood at about 5 feet, 11 inches. He had a medium build and appeared to be in his late 20s. He wore a light-colored shirt under a dark, hooded sweatshirt, as well as blue jeans and brown shoes. The baseball cap he wore had an Oakland Raiders insignia, and his sunglasses had gold rims.

“Certainly Giant Eagle was pretty busy on Saturday when this happened,” Wyrick said. “This was bold on the perpetrator’s part.”

Witnesses said he had reddish or brown hair that was possibly cut in a Mohawk style, and he had thin facial hair.

Police asked the public to report tips to the police dispatch at (330) 334-1511. Alternatively, anonymous information can be left in voicemail at (330) 335-2769.

The man who helped an 18-year-old woman kill her mother and two brothers in 1980 will remain in prison after the 9th District Court of Appeals upheld his life sentence on Monday.

Eric Joel Davis

Eric Joel Davis, 57, has been in prison since 1981. He was sentenced to 20 years to life on charges of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated arson, involuntary manslaughter, petty theft and receiving stolen property.

Prosecutors accused Davis of aiding his then-girlfriend, Teresa Bickerstaff, in killing her family members with her father’s .357-caliber pistol. Donna Kay, 38, Fred Jr., 14, and Kenneth Bickerstaff, 13, were shot and the boys also were stabbed. Davis was then accused of setting the Harrisville Township house on fire to hide evidence.

At trial in 1982, Bickerstaff denied she fired the shots. She said she confessed to killing her family to protect Davis, who she said rescued her from a life of prostitution and drugs.

Teresa Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff also was sentenced to life in prison. Both of them are next eligible for parole in 2018.

In his latest appeal, Davis argued his conviction should be thrown out on a technicality — because the written entry detailing his life sentence did not include that he was found guilty at a jury trial. A Medina County judge denied his motion and corrected the sentencing entry, and Davis appealed the ruling.

The appellate judges denied the appeal because Davis had missed the six-month deadline to appeal.

County Prosecutor Dean Holman said he was happy with the appellate ruling and explained the prosecutor’s office has dealt with the case’s multiple appeals several times over the years.

“These are dangerous people,” he said, “and we continue to handle their cases long after they have faded from public view.”

An appellate court Monday upheld the 2005 conviction of a man who prosecutors said tried to kill an exotic dancer at a Brunswick cabaret club after she rebuffed his advances.

William B. O’Neal

William B. O’Neal, now 65, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of felonious assault, kidnapping, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and possessing a firearm in a liquor establishment. He’s expected to be released from prison in 2017.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys said in 2005 that O’Neal, then of North Royalton, went to Christie’s Cabaret, 1246 Pearl Road, in October 2004 with a gun so that he could kill himself in front of a dancer who did not return his affections after he financially supported her for two years.

Police arrived on scene with guns drawn, and reports indicate O’Neal responded by shooting the dancer in the stomach. Police opened fire on O’Neal, resulting in injuries to his jaw and shoulder.

At O’Neal’s sentencing hearing in 2005, the dancer said she “saw the devil in his eyes” that night, and she told the judge O’Neal repeatedly said he wanted to kill her at the scene.

Prosecutors originally charged O’Neal with attempted murder, but those charges were dropped in exchange for a plea deal.

Monday’s appellate decision by the Ohio 9th District Court of Appeals to uphold the man’s prison sentence was the latest regarding several appeals filed by O’Neal since his imprisonment.

In his latest appeal, O’Neal — who represented himself in lieu of an attorney — alleged he was told by a judge in 2007 that he would serve a sentence for each of his charges at the same time, not one after the other. He said the written sentencing entry, however, indicated he would serve his sentences one after the other — resulting in 13 years instead of a much shorter prison stint.

The appellate judges ruled that O’Neal should have made the argument in an earlier appeal. They said it would no longer be appropriate to rule on the entry because too many appeals had passed regarding the entry and its contents.

“We note, however, that the trial court told Mr. O’Neal at the sentencing hearing that his total sentence was ‘13 years,’ which matches the total prison time that the court imposed,” the judges wrote.

The appellate decision was penned by Judge Jennifer Hensal and concurred by judges Carla Moore and Julie Schafer.

County Prosecutor Dean Holman said he was glad the appeals court denied O’Neal’s arguments.

“It was obvious for the court of appeals to deny the appeal. We’re happy the appeals court ruled the way they did,” he said. “More and more in criminal cases, it’s a never-ending process. It’s motion after motion. It’s never over, and he’s one of the more active defendants we have.”

A Brunswick man pleaded no contest Monday to barricading himself in his home last year and threatening to kill himself two weeks after he was released from prison.

Luke Pfeiler

Medina County Common Pleas Judge Joyce V. Kimbler then found Luke Pfeiler, 24, of the 3300 block of Valley Forge Drive, guilty of resisting arrest, inducing panic and domestic violence. He faces up to 1 1/2 years in prison at his Jan. 14 sentencing hearing.

A police standoff in March 2014 with Pfeiler ended with officers breaking down his bedroom door and striking him with nonlethal “beanbag” bullets and a stun gun, which reports indicate induced a seizure.

Police responded to the house after receiving a call regarding domestic violence.

While barricading himself in the bedroom with a knife, Pfeiler threatened to kill himself with prescription pills.

The incident at Pfeiler’s home came two weeks after he was released from prison. He served time on charges he tried to “commit suicide by cop” by leading police on a dangerous, high-speed chase.

Before his plea, Pfeiler was in a mental health facility. His attorney, Ronald Spears, has said in court documents that Pfeiler has a list of mental health issues that needed to be addressed.

UPDATE: Police found the man uninjured today shortly after 3 p.m.

The Brunswick Hills Police department is searching for an 81-year-old man with dementia who went missing from his residence earlier today.

Donald Spencer

Donald Spencer was reported missing from his residence on the 800 block of Glencairn Road at 12:30 p.m. today. Spencer is 6 feet tall and 225 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes police said.

Police believe Spencer is driving a black two door 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo with license plate GQY3336.

This is the first time Spencer has been reported missing, according to police.

Residents can call the Brunswick Police Department at 330-225-9111 to report any information.

David Gerspacher is in critical condition in the intensive care unit at MetroHealth System in Cleveland after being stabbed in the chest on Sunday allegedly by his 61-year-old wife.

Diana Gerspacher is being held in Medina County Jail after being charged with felonious assault, Sgt. Brett McNabb of the Medina Police Department said.

She is being held on $100,000 bond after appearing in Medina Municipal Court for arraignment Monday.

David Gerspacher, 67, was stabbed once in the chest after an argument with his wife at the couple’s single-family home on Beechwood Drive in Medina. There was no one else in the house at the time of the incident.

Police responded at 5:45 p.m. Sunday. David Gerspacher was flown by helicopter to Metro.

McNabb said police seized two items from the home. He said he could not release any details on the weapon or weapons.

“It’s still under investigation,” McNabb said. “We still want to speak to him.”

He said police already interviewed both parties, but “we want to go a little more in depth.”

The Wadsworth Police Department said Monday it continues to investigate a bank robbery that occurred at about 3:20 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Huntington Bank branch inside the Giant Eagle at 825 Ambassador Drive.

adsworth police are seeking the identity on this man, who allegedly robbed the Huntington Bank branch in the Wadsworth Giant Eagle. (PHOTO PROVIDED)

The department it is asking for public assistance in identifying the suspect in newly obtained surveillance images.

The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5-foot-11 with a medium-build. He appeared to be in his late 20s.

Police said he was wearing a light-colored T-shirt, a dark hooded sweatshirt, brown shoes, blue jeans, a black baseball-style cap with the Oakland Raiders insignia and black sunglasses with gold rims. The suspect’s reddish/brown hair possibly cut in a Mohawk style and he had thin facial hair, police said.

Anyone with information, is asked to call (330) 334-1511. Anonymous information can be left in a voicemail at (330) 335-2769.

Information also can be provided to police via email at wadsworthpd@gmail.com, or via the department’s Facebook page. The newly obtained surveillance images also can be viewed on the department’s Facebook page.