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Home > Blogs > Dayton area crime > Archives > 2009 > August
August 2009
Bizarre shootout in street sends two to hospital
DAYTON - Detectives are trying to determine what led to a violent shootout between two men in the 100 block of Fountain Avenue on Friday, Aug. 28, that sent two men to hospitals with gunshot wounds.
Witnesses said that about 8 p.m. two cars, a late-model Pontiac and red Chevy S10, pulled up in front of a house on Fountain Avenue, according to a police report. A man in the S10 jumped out of the truck with a green duffel bag and was confronted by residents sitting on the front porch of their home.
The witnesses said the man, later identified as Ramon Austin, was asked what he was doing in their neighborhood, the report stated. Austin then allegedly reached into his bag and pulled out an SKS assault rifle, witnesses said.
A man on the front porch with a CCW permit pulled out a handgun and fired a full magazine at Austin, the report stated. Austin then allegedly fired a return shot, but fled as the other gunman reloaded and fired again, the report stated.
Austin jumped into the S10 and the truck drove away. When officers arrived they found an innocent bystander was struck by a stray bullet while inside his house, the report stated.
The victim was struck in the arm and was OK. Officers looked for Austin, but came up empty, the report stated.
A short time later Austin showed up at Good Samaritan Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg, the report stated. Officers believe he suffered a gunshot wound during the shootout.
Austin was transported to Miami Valley Hospital to be treated for the wound and was ordered to appear at police headquarters upon his release from the hospital.
Police are not sure why Austin and the other men were in the area, the report stated. They are still looking for at least one other person in connection with the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetGang members shoot up house to intimidate witness, police say
DAYTON - Detectives are looking for at least two gang members named in a police report as 600-block Crips gang members who shot up a house and left a note telling those inside to stop talking to police.
Officers responded to the 2900 block of Wexford Place about 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24, and found numerous bullet holes on the outside of a house, according to a police report.
Those inside said they were sleeping when they heard the gunshots and awoke to find a note in the mail slot of the door, the report stated. The note warned them to stop talking to police about a robbery that occurred Friday, the report stated.
That robbery happened in the 3000 block of Haberer Avenue. A 17-year-old boy was beaten by three men, including another 17-year-old juvenile that was arrested over the weekend on a robbery charge, police said.
The arrested juvenile was identified by police as a 600-block Crips member. He has been arrested before by police on a burglary charge, according to the report. The victim said members, including the arrested teen, were trying to get him to join the gang, the report stated.
Detectives later arrested Curtis O. Jackson 21, after Jackson turned himself on an aggravated robbery warrant issued in connection with the incident on Haberer, Lt. Patrick Welsh said.
A warrant for the arrest of Brandon Jones, 24, has also been issued in connection with the robbery of juvenile on Haberer. Jones remains at large.
Police have not located the suspects who fired shots into the house at Wexford Place. No one was hurt during Monday’s shooting.
“The shooting into habitation on Wexford seems to be an attempt to intimidate the robbery victim into not pursuing charge,” Welsh said. “(The) investigation continues pending lab results of evidence.
Anyone with information about the shooting or robbery are urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetWestbound U.S. 35 reopened after accident
RIVERSIDE - All lanes of westbound U.S. 35 have been reopened after Riverside police responded to a report of a multi-vehicle accident near Woodman Drive at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28.
It is unclear what caused the accident, but there is a report of injuries, according to dispatchers at the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center.
TweetPolice: Enraged drunk driver tries to run family off road
DAYTON - Police arrested a 33-year-old man who allegedly tried to run a family off the road during an apparent road-rage incident Thursday, Aug. 27.
A man called 911 about 8 p.m. and said a man in 1999 Dodge Durango was trying to run him, his wife and two children in the backseat off the road, according to a police report.
The victim said the incident started when his wife was driving near the 4500 block of Woodbine Avenue. The woman honked the horn after the driver of the Durango, James Farley nearly struck their vehicle, the report stated.
Farley then began yelling and waving his arms at the victims and tried to run the family off the road, the report stated. Farley then cut in front of them, slammed on his brakes and put his vehicle in reverse toward the family, the report stated.
Responding officers found Farley in his Durango near the 300 block of South Smithville Road and pulled him over, the report stated. Farley was “combative” and “intoxicated,” officers stated in the report.
He was transported to Montgomery County Jail on a misdemeanor menacing charge, but will likely face more charges, according to police.
No one was hurt during the incident.
TweetChildren living in ‘disgusting’ conditions prompt two arrests
DAYTON - Two women were arrested by Dayton Police late Thursday night, Aug. 26, after officers found six children living among cockroaches inside a house in what police described as “disgusting” condition.
A Montgomery County Children’s Services worker called officers to the 200 block of Fountain Avenue about 9 p.m. while checking the living conditions of a 4-month-old baby, according to a police report.
Police entered and found food in the carpet, dirty clothes and mattresses stacked up in rooms on the ground floor and dozens of cockroaches throughout the house, the report stated.
The house was cluttered with trash and clothes, making it hard for officers to walk around, the report stated.
Four of the children, all under of the age of 13, were the grandchildren of Patricia Nelson, 46. Nelson’s 16-year-old daughter also lived in the home.
The 4-month-old baby belonged to 19-year-old Amanda Martin, who also lived in the home.
Officers went upstairs and found dirty sheets on beds, more clutter on the floors and numerous cockroaches in a bathroom.
It was determined the house was unlivable and Nelson’s four grandchildren were put in custody of Children’s Services until suitable relatives could be located, the report stated. Martin’s infant daughter and Nelson’s 16-year-old daughter were placed with relatives.
Nelson told officers she knew the house was in “deplorable” condition, but said she had no means to change the living situation, the report stated.
Both Nelson and Martin were ordered to appear in court on misdemeanor child endangering charges. A court date has not yet been set.
TweetTwo dead bodies found in home near Xenia
CAESARSCREEK TWP., Greene County — Greene County Sheriff’s officials found two adults dead in an Ireland Drive home this morning, Aug. 27, and authorities are treating it as a murder/suicide stemming from a domestic dispute.
Capt. Eric Spicer said deputies responded to the home at 8:16 a.m. after a 911 call from a family member “who was aware of a problem at the house.”
He would not identify who specifically made the call.
Spicer said deputies made forced entry and found the two bodies in the house, which is in a rural area six miles south of Xenia. Authorities would not release the names of the deceased pair pending notification of relatives.
The sheriff’s office continues to investigate the case, but Spicer said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Neighbors said a middle-aged couple lived in the home with their school-age daughter, but authorities would not confirm that the pair found dead were residents of the home. Chris Theodor, who has lived next door to the family for 15 years, said he wasn’t aware of any past domestic incidents where police were called to the address.
“This was certainly not expected,” he said. “It’s just a sad deal.” Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2278 or jkelley@daytondailynews.com.
TweetPolice hunting teen who shot his baby’s grandmother
DAYTON - Police and U.S. Marshals are looking for a 17-year-old who shot a 36-year-old woman after she refused to let him take his baby.
A warrant has been issued for the boy’s arrest for the shooting that occurred in the 2000 block of Cornell Ridge Drive early Sunday, Aug. 23.
The suspect went to the house to get the baby and speak to the 13-year-old mother of the infant, Lt. Patrick Welsh said. The teen’s mother answered the door about 1 a.m. and refused to let him take the 1-month-old from the home, Welsh said.
That’s when he reportedly pulled out a gun and shot the woman in the pelvis, Welsh said. The woman was rushed to Miami Valley Hospital and is expected to recover from the gunshot.
He fled the scene and has not been located by police. U.S. Marshals were out Tuesday morning trying to find him, but were unsuccessful.
It is unclear why he wanted to take the child, Welsh said.
The 17-year-old has a long criminal history starting at age 7 when he was arrested for domestic violence, according to police reports. He was acquitted earlier this year of an aggravated burglary charge by a Montgomery County jury, court records show.
In that case, he was being charged as an adult. He has been arrested at least three times by police. He was also counseled at a behavioral center where he has assaulted workers numerous times, Welsh said.
TweetWoman shot in thigh after spooking burglars
DAYTON - A woman was rushed to a local hospital Monday morning, Aug. 24, after she was shot by one of three robbers who invaded her mother’s home.
The young woman was shot in the thigh and is expected to recover after spooking the men, who were ransacking her brother’s bedroom in the 100 block of Hollencamp Avenue, according to police.
About 11 a.m. the woman awoke to commotion upstairs and watched as one man fled downstairs with his arms full of electronics, Sgt. Judy Abshire said. Another man appeared with a .45-caliber handgun and shot at the woman twice, missing her head the first time and then striking her leg, Abshire said.
The female victim said three men then jumped into a dark-blue, older-model Pontiac and fled. The three men are described as young males and in their late teens to early 20s with slim builds.
“The witnesses are cooperating and we have a pretty good beat on what happened,” Abshire said.
Anyone with information about the home invasion should call 333-COPS.
TweetNoisy thieves busted inside local school
DAYTON - Police arrested two noisy thieves inside a local school Friday, Aug. 21, on charges they stole copper piping from sinks.
Officers responded to the East End Community School, 401 Nassau St., about 4:30 a.m. after security heard two people, one identified as a juvenile and the other Joseph Cox, 24, inside the building.
Police went inside and found Cox and the juvenile hiding in a classroom, according to a police report.
Officers said the men made statements they cut and were attempting to steal copper piping from under the bathroom sinks, the report stated.
Cox was taken to the Montgomery County Jail on felony breaking and entering and felony possession of criminal tools, according to the report. The juvenile, age unknown, was transported to the Juvenile Justice Center.
TweetMan walks into a bar: grabs another man’s beer, chokes bartender
DAYTON - Many funny jokes have started out this way, but what happened at Jimmy’s Cornerstone Bar Thursday, Aug. 20, was not that funny.
A man walked into the bar at 1001 Brown St. about 2 a.m. and choked the bartender who refused to refill his glass, according to a police report.
Witnesses told officers the man walked in, grabbed another man’s beer and then spilled it after he fell to the ground. Bar employees said the man was intoxicated when he took the empty beer mug to the bartender and said he was owed a free refill, the report stated.
When the bartender refused to refill the mug, the man went behind the bar and put the employee in a headlock, the report stated.
A bouncer at the bar tossed the man out, but he returned in a four-door sedan and crashed into a fence at the rear of the bar, the report stated.
Officers found that vehicle a short time later at the corner of Steven Whalen Boulevard and Wyoming Street, but the man was not in the area, the report stated.
Officers towed the vehicle because it was sitting in a no parking zone, the report stated.
The man faces a felonious assault and criminal damaging charge. If anyone has information about the incident you should call 333-COPS.
TweetFourth homicide victim this week had recent run-in with police
DAYTON - The 32-year-old man shot and killed in his apartment late Thursday, Aug. 20, has been identified by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office as Benjamin Gulley.
Gulley was inside Apartment 11 of the Wilmington-Bellaire complex, 929 Wilmington Ave., where witnesses said at least three men fled and jumped into a green Cadillac about 11:30 p.m.
Officers arrived about five minutes later to find Gulley on the floor dead from a gunshot wound, Lt. John Bardun said.
Gulley is the city’s fourth homicide victim in six days of gun violence that has left two other men hospitalized. You can check on those homicides by clicking here.
Since last Saturday, Dayton officers have responded to at least nine shootings, five of which are being investigated by homicide detectives. No arrests have been made in any of those shootings.
Gulley’s death comes eight months after he was arrested by police for possession of heroin, a story featured here in the DAC blog.
In that instance, Gulley was walking from an apartment at 32 Utah Court and was stopped by police investigating reports of drug activity at the apartment, according to a police report.
Gulley resisted when officers tried to arrest him and had to be pepper sprayed after he tried to punch and flee from officers, the report stated. He was convicted of heroin possession in March and received five years community control, court records show.
Witnesses said the complex where Gulley was killed has been a peaceful area for many years, but in the last two months have seen a lot of foot traffic in the apartment where Gulley lived.
Bardun said Gulley was not the renter of the apartment but coroner’s officials said that was his last known address.
Anyone with information about Gulley’s death is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetMan indicted on murder charge for slaying of gang boss
DAYTON - A Montgomery County grand jury has indicted a 20-year-old man who Dayton police said gunned down a leader of the Dayton View Hustlers gang in April.
Chamare Mays is in the county jail in lieu of $1 million bond and faces a felony murder charge in the shooting death of Thomas “Tom-Tom” Watson. Mays also faces two felony counts of felonious assault, along with a felony count of tampering with evidence, inducing panic and having weapons while under disability.
Mays was one of at least two shooters identified by authorities as members of the Hunnid Block Boys, who approached a group of men playing basketball at College Hill Park about 5 p.m. on April 16 and opened fire.
Watson, 25, was shot in the head and died on the court. Another man was seriously injured but survived his wounds.
Police said Mays and a group of men got into an argument with Watson earlier in the day and that sparked the shooting.
At the time of the shooting, police Chief Richard Biehl said Watson’s homicide appeared to be gang-related.
Watson was known to police as a leader of the Dayton View Hustlers, a gang rooted in the Dayton View neighborhood between Salem Avenue and James H. McGee Boulevard.
Mays turned himself in to police days after the shooting and admitted to shooting the surviving victim, but denied shooting Watson, Lt. Patrick Welsh said.
In late April, the county prosecutor’s office approved a felonious assault charge against Mays for his role in the park shooting. The case was presented to a grand jury on July 2 and jurors decided to indict him for Watson’s murder, court records show.
A message left for Mays’ attorney was not immediately returned.
Watson’s slaying prompted at least two gang-related retaliation shootings, including the killing of Isaac Gibson at a memorial service/cookout for Watson. Police said Gibson was a member of the Hunnid Block Boys and was shot by Theron “T.Streets” Lewis, a known member of the Dayton View Hustlers.
Police said that weeks after Gibson’s homicide, Lewis in early May shot at a member of the Otterbein Mafia attending funeral services of a homicide victim. Lewis missed and fled from a church parking lot after his gun jammed.
Detectives said Lewis and other DVH members believe that man help set up Watson’s slaying. Lewis remains in jail in lieu of $1 million bond after he was indicted in June on numerous felony charges, including two counts of murder.
Bubbling tensions between the gangs has simmered since the arrests of Lewis and Mays. Mays, who has prior arrests on charges that include drug possession and child endangering, is expected to be in court Sept. 17.
Lewis is expected to appear in court again Sept. 22, with a trial date set for Oct. 26, according to court records.
Dayton police are still looking for the second shooter who rushed the basketball court the day Watson was killed. Anyone with information is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetPolice continue investigating two evening shootings
DAYTON - Police are searching for suspect information as they continue to investigate two unrelated shootings that occurred on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and left one man dead and another in critical condition.
The first incident occurred at 8:49 p.m. at 5010 Caliph Court, said Dayton police Lt. Patrick Welsh. There, a 33-year-old Kurron Bryant was shot following a dispute that stemmed from a child being hit with a football.
An earlier fight about the football was calmed by police, but they were again dispatched to the address after witnesses said Bryant was sitting on his porch and a man came around the front of the apartment building and fired multiple rounds, Welsh said. Bryant remained in critical condition Thursday morning.
Welsh said police are interviewing about 20 witnesses from the incident, and they were trying to gain further suspect information.
While detectives were investigating the shooting on Caliph Court, police received a call about another shooting in the 3000 block of Wesleyan Road. There, police found 48-year-old Kenneth J. Broadus, who told detectives he was the victim of a drive-by shooting at about 9:43 p.m., Welsh said.
Broadus, who later died following surgery at Miami Valley Hospital, told detectives he was walking down the street to a relative’s house when a man, unprovoked, drove up and began shooting at him. Broadus fled but was struck several times, including at least once in the chest, police said.
Broadus was in recovery from surgery when he died sometime after 3 a.m., Welsh said. You can track the investigation of Broadus’ death and all other homicides in the Dayton area by clicking here.
TweetMurder charges approved against brothers in June shooting
DAYTON — Multiple charges, including murder, have been approved against two brothers for a June shooting death during a home invasion, and police are continuing to search for the two men.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, Aug. 19, approved the charges against Anthony D. Choice, 18, and William L. Blair Jr., 20, said Dayton police Lt. Patrick Welsh.
Each faces a total of 10 charges, including three counts of murder, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of felonious assault and one count of having weapons under disability, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
Choice and Blair are accused of killing Wallace Hailey Jr., 32, inside the home at 1211 Alcott Drive at 1:21 a.m. on June 24. The initial investigation by police showed that Hailey was shot several times in the abdomen by two men who entered the house demanding money.
Police believe the house was specifically targeted, Welsh said.
TweetSecond shooting in northwest Dayton leaves man in critical condition
DAYTON - Police are looking for a suspect who pulled up in a vehicle and shot a man several times, including at least once in the chest, outside a known drug house in the 2000 block of Wesleyan Road.
Officers responded to the scene about 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, and found the victim slumped over a vehicle parked on the street, according to police.
Witnesses said they heard about five shots and a vehicle, description unknown, speed away.
Dayton Lt. John Bardun said the shooter was wearing a black ski mask and might have known the victim.
“There were about eight or nine shots fired at the victim,” Bardun said. “We found numerous shell casings at the scene. The shooting appears to be drug-related.”
Bardun left that scene about 10:15 p.m. and headed back to meet with homicide detectives already at another unrelated shooting nearby in the 5000 block of Caliph Court in the city’s Greenwich Village neighborhood. That shooting happened about 8:50 p.m.
Victims in both shootings were taken to Miami Valley Hospital and were in surgery about 11 p.m., Bardun said.
TweetMan shot after argument in Greenwich Village neighborhood
DAYTON - A shooting Wednesday night, Aug. 19, on Caliph Court began in the parking lot of the housing complex with a fight among youth when one of the youngsters was hit in the head by a thrown football, police Lt. John Bardun said.
At 8:49 p.m., callers alerted police about a shooting in the 5000 block of Caliph, in the city’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
A 33-year-old man had been shot several times in the abdomen by another man with a handgun, Bardun said. The victim was rushed by ambulance to Miami Valley Hospital.
He was in surgery and in critical condition about 10:45 p.m., Bardun said.
The suspect was described as a man who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with gold lettering, Bardun said.
A witness, Lamar Thomas, said the shooting occurred after a fight involving juveniles that escalated into gunfire among adults.
Staff Writer Steve Bennish contributed to this report.
TweetWagner Ford Road reopened at I-75 after truck hits overpass
By Kelli Wynn, Staff Writer
DAYTON — A Dayton city equipment operator was in serious condition Tuesday after the dump truck he was driving struck the Interstate 75 overpass of Wagner Ford Road.
City spokesman Bryan Taulbee identified the driver as Jerry Walters, 56, an equipment operator for the city’s Division of Sewer Maintenance.
Walters was taken to Miami Valley Hospital to be treated. The unofficial condition report is that Walters is in serious condition, with a possible broken arm and possible head injury, Taulbee said.
The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. as the dump truck traveled west on Wagner Ford and attempted to drive under the overpass, said Montgomery County Sheriff’s Sgt. Renee O’Ryan.
The hydraulically controlled bed of the truck was in a raised position and struck the overpass. The force of the blow knocked the bed off the truck.
“It ripped the bed off and caused the motor-driven part of the truck to lift up, but it came back down and it caused injury to the driver and he was removed to the hospital,” O’Ryan said.
Crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation were inspecting the bridge to determine any damage to it.
One of the eastbound lanes of Wagner Ford was also shut down for the investigation.
“I don’t think there was any structural damage, but being on the safe side, we called the ODOT out to check for any structural damage,” O’Ryan said.
Sheriff deputies investigating the accident did not know why the bed of the truck was raised as the truck attempted to go underneath the overpass.
Walters was “delivering a load of debris to the city dump area on Wagner Ford Road, which is near I-75,” Taulbee said. Walters is a full-time employee and has worked for the city for 25 years.
TweetNew police cameras will be watching all of us
DAYTON - The Dayton Police Department introduced its newest crime-fighting gadget Tuesday, Aug. 18, and odds are it will soon be introduced to you.
It’s a camera and scanner mounted on an officer’s cruiser that takes pictures of license plates as officers patrol and inputs the data into a computer program. As the cameras scan plates, a laptop computer inside the officer’s cruisers sounds steady beats after each picture is taken. An alarm goes off if the plate or the driver’s information is found in a database constantly updated with wanted criminals.
The camera is capable of capturing as many as 10,000 license plates a shift, leaving crime fighters around the area giddy over its capabilities.
Video: See how the cameras work.
The units cost between $15,000 and $30,000 depending on the vendor and Dayton is getting two at $17,000 a piece paid for by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is also going to install the cameras in the near future.
“We got a grant for two and we’re getting five, one for every district,” Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said. “The (other three) were are purchasing with asset and forfeiture funds.”
The scanners were first introduced to police in 2007 and cities like Cincinnati and the Ohio Highway Patrol have been using them for nearly a year, Biehl said.
“This will be a huge time saver for us and will allow us to be better at finding criminals,” Biehl said. “As budgets get increasingly tighter for law enforcement and we have less personnel, this allows us to better protect the community.”
Biehl said the system can help track sex offenders and other criminals, but right now he just wants his officers to get familiar with the technology.
TweetSuspect in hit-skip death of 12-year-old sent to prison
DAYTON - The 25-year-old man police said is responsible for the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old boy has been sent to prison for two years on unrelated probation violations.
Antwonne L. McGinnis was transferred to the Correctional Reception Center near Columbus on Aug. 11 for violations related to 2008 convictions of disrupting a public service and having weapons while under disability.
McGinnis was behind the wheel of a white newer-model Oldsmobile without a valid license in June when he crossed a double-yellow line in the 300 block of Elmhurst Road and struck Daquan Sales, police said.
Sales was on his bicycle, rolled into the windshield of the car and died at the scene, investigators said. McGinnis fled but later returned to the scene in the Oldsmobile smelling of marijuana, police said.
Dayton police and Montgomery County prosecutors met Tuesday, Aug. 18, to discuss possible charges against McGinnis related to Sales’ death, but no decision was made, prosecutor’s spokesman Greg Flannagan said.
“The investigation is continuing and a determination of any applicable charges will be made at the completion of the investigation,” Flannagan said.
Detectives have been asked by prosecutors to gather necessary information they need to formally charge McGinnis in Sales’ death, Lt. Larry Faulkner said.
Faulkner said there is concern from prosecutors that Sales might have some culpability in the incident, but that wasn’t the reason charges have not been filed in the case.
“We will continue to investigate this tragedy and we are scheduled to meet with prosecutors again on Sept. 8,” Faulkner said.
McGinnis has been incarcerated since June 16 when U.S. Marshals arrested him at a relative’s house in the 300 block of Whitemore Drive. While being led to jail McGinnis said he was “sorry” for hitting Sales and it was an “accident.”
He offered to help pay for Sales’ funeral, but Sales’ family said they had not heard from McGinnis at the time the boy was buried.
TweetMan lights house on fire while kids are inside
DAYTON - A 60-year-old man is in Montgomery County Jail on a felony arson charge for allegedly lighting a house on fire while children were inside.
Janrose Jones was seen by witnesses about 1:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, spraying a flammable liquid on the house in the 100 block of Gerlaugh Avenue, according to a police report.
Jones then used a lighter to ignite the fluid, walked across the street to his front porch and sat down to watch the house burn, the report stated.
There were no flames when firefighters arrived, but siding was melted on the house, the report stated. Jones declined to speak to officers after he was arrested.
The felony asron charge has yet to be approved by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, according to jail records.
A background check found Jones has been arrested twice by police in the last five years for public intoxication and domestic violence.
TweetPolice on scene of accident involving school bus
DAYTON - Police are responding to a multi-vehicle accident involving a school bus near the intersection of North James H. McGee Boulevard and Gettysburg Avenue.
The accident happened just before 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, and it is unclear if there are any injuries. Stay with DaytonDailyNews.com for more on this developing story.
TweetShot that killed Xenia man severed major artery
DAYTON - Homicide detectives are still trying to determine if there is any connection to the rash of shootings from over the weekend that left two robbery victims dead.
David E. Green, 52, of Dayton, and Bryan Gillum, 33, of Xenia, were killed in separate shootings that are not connected, Sgt. Gary White said. They were two of five weekend shootings that also left a teenager injured from a gunshot wound to the leg.
Gillum was shot about 5:30 p.m. at 314 Ethel Ave. in the left thigh Saturday, Aug. 15, after he traveled to Dayton with two friends to buy heroin, White said.
Witnesses said a man carrying a semi-automatic handgun, robbed Gillum and then shot him in the leg. Gillum ran two blocks and collapsed in a driveway at 2827 McCall Ave.
The bullet severed the major artery in Gillum’s leg and he lost too much blood, said Ken Betz, director of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
Witnesses said the gunman drove off in a brown 1998 or 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, according to police. No arrests have been made as of Monday morning.
There have also been no arrests in Green’s death at 1529 Weaver St. Officers responded to Green’s residence about 6:15 p.m. Sunday to find someone had shot him in the head, Lt. Brian Johns said.
Police believe two men exited a “large white vehicle,” entered the home and an argument ensued. A female witness was inside the house at the time of the shooting, Johns said.
Johns said it appears the suspects knew Green. Betz said an autopsy was to be performed on Green’s body Monday morning.
The two suspects match the description of two other suspects involved in as many as three robberies/burglaries during the weekend, White said. In one of those incidents, a man in the northeast Dayton was hit in the face with a gun during a burglary.
Gillum is the city’s 27th homicide victim this year and Green the 28th. You can track these homicides and those that occurred in that last 18 months by clicking here.
Anyone with information on either homicide is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetProsecutors refuse charges against man arrested on arson charge
DAYTON - The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office has refused to charge a man arson investigators said was seen running from a house moments before flames ignited inside the structure.
Martin S. Richards, 48, will be released from Montgomery County Jail later this afternoon and will not be charged with a crime related to the fire at 341 E. Lincoln St., arson investigator Victoria Carr said.
Carr would not comment why the charges were refused Friday afternoon, but said she was “surprised” by the prosecutor’s decision.
A spokeswoman for Prosecutor Mathias Heck Jr.’s office said, “Due to conflicting witness statements and the evidence presented at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge anyone with a felony.”
Heck advised Carr to do more investigating and his office would consider criminal charges.
It was Carr who arrested Richards about 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, an hour after crews doused flames coming from the rear of the vacant house. He was found at his house on East Lincoln Street near the vacant house that was set on fire, Carr said.
Once inside firefighters found a large gas can and tested charred wood for any chemicals that might have been used to start the fire, the report stated. The test showed the fire was started with a flammable liquid, the report stated.
There was gas inside the can, Carr said.
The response required two ladder trucks, three engines, a medic truck and an air truck.
Officials said stairs leading to the bedrooms were completely burned out, which required a second ladder truck.
Neighbors said they see squatters come in and out of the vacant house, which is listed on the city’s nuisance list.
Richards has been arrested 16 times since 2000 on charges that include public intoxication, drug possession and burglary, according to Montgomery County Jail Records.
Richards did tell police he has a job at a local auto repair shop, but it is unclear if he is homeless or was living inside the vacant home that burned Wednesday.
Fire officials said they will recommend the home be demolished. The city said Wednesday that it is trying to demolish 400 nuisance structures by the end of 2009. In 2008, the city demolished 300 structures. This year to date, it has taken down 110.
There are an estimated 3,000 vacant structures in the city overall. Of those, 1,000 are on the nuisance list.
TweetAlready charged with murder, Dalcapone Alpaccino Morris faces other charges
DAYTON — A Dayton man whose unusual name has made him an Internet star is accused of shooting a man six days after he was indicted for an unrelated murder.
Dalcapone Alpaccino Morris, 21, remains at large while the U.S. Marshals-led Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team continues to search for him.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, charges including two counts of felonious assault and one count of illegal discharge of a firearm were filed against Morris stemming from a July 21 incident, according to court records.
In that incident, a 29-year-old man was shot in the back in the 400 block of North Williams Street at about 12:30 a.m. Dayton police Sgt. James Mullins said at the time that he had seen the man about 15 minutes before the shooting wiping down the bumper of a car parked on Williams. Police found a container of car wax on the vehicle, leading them to believe the man might have been polishing the car when he was shot.
Just six days before the shooting, a grand jury indicted Morris and another man, 19-year-old Michael D. Guy, on charges of murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and felonious assault. The men are accused of shooting and killing Richard A. Pogue Jr. on June 2 at 1369 Kingsley Ave. in what police called a robbery attempt.
William Taylor, supervisory deputy for the Marshals Service for the Southern District of Ohio, encouraged anyone with information about Morris’ whereabouts to contact the Marshals Service at (937) 225-2917. Morris is believed to still be in the Dayton area, Taylor said.
Morris was also indicted in 2008 on a charge of possession of cocaine, and the charge has been deferred, according to court records.
Morris’ name has gained him mention on the popular crime Web site The Smoking Gun as well as a November 2008 episode of “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.”
TweetDayton sees 4 suspicious fires in 19 hours
DAYTON — The Dayton Fire Department is investigating four separate structure fires that burned within 19 hours as suspicious, a department assistant chief said.
Jeffrey Payne, the Dayton fire assistant chief, said the set of blazes that began with a house fire Wednesday morning, Aug. 12, that led to two firefighters receiving medical treatment is unusual for its frequency.
“Four working fires in 24 hours is considered a heavy day,” Payne said. “That’s heavier than we usually get this time of year. We’ll get garage fires, but as far as dwellings that’s more than normal.”
Firefighters first responded to 442 Deeds Ave. at 11:23 a.m. Wednesday. Following the fire, one firefighter received treatment after suffering blistering burns to his ears and another was taken to a hospital with elevated vital signs, Payne said.
“It was a very hot fire,” Payne said.
Later Wednesday, at 8:10 p.m., firefighters responded to 341 E. Lincoln St., where the two-story home listed on the city of Dayton’s nuisance list for more than 400 days was on fire.
“There was no one inside at the time, but we were told some homeless people stay here,” said Dayton fire East District Chief David Grahl at the scene. “The house was empty, except for quite a bit of trash.”
Thursday morning, at 1:10 a.m., a smaller fire at 1938 N. Main St. was quickly extinguished, and firefighters moved on to 744 Huffman Ave. at 6:02 a.m. The Huffman address was vacant, Payne said.
Investigators will continue to work to determine the causes of the fires, Payne said.
TweetNot ice pick, but pocketknife allegedly used in stabbing
DAYTON — Police arrested a 63-year-old man on Tuesday, Aug. 11, for allegedly stabbing another man in the chest and sending him to the hospital.
Clinton Spivey Jr. was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a charge of felonious assault following the incident that apparently began with an argument between the two men, according to a police report.
Officers were called to the 1400 block of McArthur Avenue at about 10:40 p.m. on the report of a man stabbed with an ice pick. When they arrived, they found the 57-year-old victim, Victor L. Young, lying on a couch with a stab wound to the right chest bleeding significantly, the report said.
Witnesses told officers the suspect, later identified as Spivey, was still nearby, and police located him outside. Spivey said he had argued a few hours earlier with Young but denied stabbing him, the report said.
Witnesses also told police that Young had knocked Spivey to the ground during the earlier fight, but Spivey said he didn’t remember it being that serious, the report said.
Officers later found a small folding pocketknife in the grass outside, and hospital personnel said the wound was likely caused by a small knife, not an ice pick, the report said.
Spivey was booked into the jail at about 12:20 a.m. Wednesday, according to jail records.
TweetTeen charged in crash that killed Huber Heights woman
HUBER HEIGHTS - A negligent vehicular homicide charge has been filed against an 18-year-old man involved in an accident that claimed the life of a Huber Heights woman.
Bryan Sacco, a former Wayne High School student now living in Orlando, faces a maximum of 180 days in jail if convicted for causing the April 14 accident that killed Michele A. Meade, 42, Montgomery County Prosecutor’s spokesman Greg Flannagan said.
The misdemeanor charge was filed Thursday after Huber Heights police and prosecutors met to discuss charges. Police said they tried to get felony charges approved against Sacco, but those were turned down by a panel of three assistant prosecutors.
The crash happened about 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of southbound Brandt Pike (Ohio 201) and eastbound Executive Boulevard. Sacco was driving between 45 and 60 mph in a newer Roush special factory edition Mustang GT when he ran a red light and collided with Meade’s compact Chevy truck, according to Huber Heights police.
Police took a black box that recorded data from Sacco’s car to determine the vehicle’s actions right before the crash.
Sacco was arrested after the crash on a vehicular homicide charge, but was released while detectives investigated the crash. He has since moved to Orlando, Huber Heights Officer Mark Bruns said.
Sacco is not in jail at the time, but has been summoned to appear in a Montgomery County courtroom on Aug. 25
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TweetPolice: Driver in horrific crash had mental problems
DAYTON - Police investigators said a 66-year-old man involved in a double-fatal, 13-vehicle crash had a history of mental issues and hallucinations.
Ocie L. Miliner Jr., of Dayton, died Sunday, Aug. 9, after he and another driver crashed into as many as 13 vehicles throughout a 10-block stretch of North Main Street.
The other driver, Otis Steele, 36, of Dayton, also died during the crash. Neither men had valid driver’s licenses, Lt. Brian Johns said. The horrific crash sent 10 people to the hospital with mostly minor injuries.
All injured during the incident have since been released from the hospital, according to police.
It is unclear what started the horrific incident, which began at Indianola and ended at Mumma avenues. Witnesses said Miliner was in the front seat of his red 2008 Chrysler 300 and staring up at the ceiling of the car.
Detectives are trying to sort out witness accounts that Steele’s late-model Cadillac DeVille was on fire as it chased Miliner’s car down North Main Street.
“We might never know those details,” Chief Richard Biehl said. “The two principle participants in the accident are deceased, so that is making the investigation more difficult.”
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office has completed preliminary autopsies of the two men, but investigators said they are awaiting a complete autopsy that includes toxicology test results.
The coroner’s office said Steele died from blunt force trauma to the head and Miliner trauma to the chest.
“This investigation is going to take two months minimum,” Lt. Larry Faulkner said.
Both Miliner and Steele have criminal records that resulted in license suspensions, police said.
Miliner was arrested in May of 2008 for unlawful discharge of firearm, according to a Dayton police report. Miliner said he fell asleep, but heard a noise and came out of his house and fired a pistol into the ground, the report stated.
He told officers then that drug dealers spread acid around his house and it was burning his eyes and hands. Officers recovered the gun and ordered a psychiatric evaluation be performed at Miami Valley Hospital.
Officers wrote that Miliner was known to be “mentally handicapped, delirious and delusional.”
“He was known to have some mental issues,” Faulkner said.
Miliner was never convicted of any charges related to the incident, according to court records.
In an incident in 2007, Miliner pointed a pistol at neighbors and accused them of being drug dealers, according to a police report. He told officers drug dealers were “affecting the electricity” in his house and had placed devices in his front yard, the report stated.
A mental evaluation of Miliner was ordered then, as well, according to the report. The results of the evaluation are not known.
Miliner’s family has declined to comment about his health or the crash.
TweetPolice investigating medical condition as possible cause of fatal crash
DAYTON - The two people killed after a high-speed collision on North Main Street on Sunday, Aug. 9, have been identified as Otis Steele, 36, and Ocie Miliner, 66, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
The accident, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. near Indianola Avenue, sent 10 others to the hospital and damaged or destroyed 13 vehicles in what some officers called the worst accident they’ve seen on city streets.
Witnesses told police they saw a 2008 red Chrysler 300 and a late-model black Cadillac DeVille travel at speeds estimated between 60 and 100 mph and hit other cars.
Witnesses said Miliner was behind the wheel of the Chrysler and his head was looking up at the ceiling of the car as it crashed into traffic.
“It sounds like this might be related to a medical condition, but we just aren’t sure,” Dayton police Maj. Mark Hess said. “(The autopsy) is going to be an important part of (the cause of the crash).”
Steele’s car caught fire during the accident, police said. Both vehicles slammed into vehicles near the intersection of Mumma Avenue and North Main and came to a stop.
Detectives, Monday, Aug. 10, are looking into how Steele’s Cadillac was involved in the incident and that it might have been hit at the start of the 13-vehicle crash, Hess said.
Hess said one of the 10 people taken to the hospital remained hospitalized Monday morning with non-life-threatening injuries.
You can read more about the crash, including about how churchgoers tried to rescue the deceased, by clicking here.
TweetRestaurant burglarized by same person second time in week
DAYTON - Police are investigating another burglary at Taqueria Mixteca and believe it is the same person who hit the Mexican restaurant days before.
An officer on routine patrol about 3:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, in the 1300 block of E. Third St. noticed a side window of the restaurant had been broken out, according to a police report.
The store’s owner arrived and played surveillance tape that showed a man kick in the glass to gain access to the restaurant, the report stated.
The burglar, dressed in a green pullover, gloves, mask and shorts, looked around the restaurant for a cash register, but left after about 30 seconds of being inside the place, the report stated.
The burglar matched the same description of the man who broke into the restaurant on Monday.
This time nothing was taken from the restaurant.
TweetMurder trial witness intimidated by woman, police say
DAYTON - Homicide detectives are investigating alleged intimidation of a witness in the murder trial of James D. Williams III.
Williams was convicted July 30 of two counts of aggravated arson and two counts of murder for setting a fire at Club Ivy, 3509 N. Main St., on Aug. 26 that killed Robert C. Fabia.
The same day Williams was convicted, police arrested Cristel Dawn Murphy, 28, on an intimidation charge for making contact with a witness involved in the case, Dayton police Sgt. Gary White said.
“The witness was intimidated by that contact,” White said. “Murphy was located and arrested not long after the incident was reported. I can’t reveal much more information as that case is now ongoing.”
It is unclear the purpose of Murphy’s contact with the witness. While being arrested in the 900 block of Gettysburg Ave., Murphy told officers she did nothing wrong, according to a police report.
Murphy is in Montgomery County Jail on misdemeanor charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest. Her bond has been set at $2,500.
She is expected to appear in Dayton Municipal Court on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
TweetJudge sents bond at $2.5 million for son accused of murdering parents
DAYTON - A Montgomery County Common Pleas judge has set bond at $2.5 million for the 36-year-old Union man accused of beating his parents to death.
Gary Marshall pleaded not guilty Thursday, Aug. 6, to two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated and numerous other felony charges related to the slaying of David and Susie Marshall.
Their bodies were discovered Saturday night, Aug. 1, at their home at 53 Greencliff Drive in Union. Officers went to the home on a welfare check after relatives had not heard from the Marshalls for several days.
Their deaths were caused by blunt force trauma to their heads, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. Their deaths have been ruled homicides.
Gary Marshall had been driving their truck Saturday when he was arrested on drug charges by Botkins police.
He also faces four counts of felonious assault, two counts of felony theft and one count of felony auto theft.
You can read more about the slaying by clicking here.
TweetMan shooting heroin while driving past unmarked police car arrested
DAYTON — Two Waynesville men, including one who an undercover police detective saw shooting heroin as he drove past the detective’s vehicle, were arrested after buying drugs in the city on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Michael P. Shyers and Joshua W. Meadows, both 27, were arrested at about 7 p.m. in the 1800 block of West Third Street on charges of prohibited substance solicitation and possession of drugs, according to a police report. Shyers was arrested on an additional charge of possessing drug abuse instruments, the report said.
The undercover detective was sitting in his unmarked vehicle when he noticed a pickup truck driving past while the driver had a belt wrapped around his left arm and tightened with his teeth. The truck was driving wildly and, at one point, drove partially onto a curb and sat briefly, the report said.
The detective attempted to stop the truck by initiating his red-and-blue lights and with verbal orders while driving next to the truck, but the driver, later identified as Shyers, said, “You’re not the police,” and sped off, the report said.
Other officers stopped the truck on Third Street, and a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a total of three capsules containing a substance later determined to be cocaine and six gel caps containing a substance later determined to be heroin. There were also two syringes near the driver’s seat, the report said.
Shyers, who was shaking uncontrollably when taken into custody by police, told officers he was shooting heroin when he passed the detective’s car, the report said.
Meadows, who was the car’s passenger, said he was simply getting a ride from Shyers and he saw Shyers “shoot up something,” the report said. Meadows “then started talking very strangely and making no sense,” which led officers to believe he was under the influence of narcotics, the report said.
Shyers told officers Meadows also purchased drugs from the “projects,” the report said.
Both men were booked into the Montgomery County Jail on Wednesday evening, the report said.
TweetTeens, 14 and 16, admit dope dealing following arrest
DAYTON — Two teenagers were arrested by the area’s Street Crimes Bureau on Wednesday, Aug. 5, after undercover officers set up a heroin buy by phone with a 16-year-old and purchased the drugs from a 14-year-old.
The teens were arrested at 7:57 p.m. inside a house in the 400 block of North Williams Avenue after undercover detectives from the Dayton and Trotwood police departments and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from an informant, according to a police report.
The informant gave police the number to a suspected drug dealer, and the male answering the number said the undercover detective could buy heroin from him. The male, later identified as the 16-year-old, directed the detective to an alleyway off Meredith Street, the report said.
When the detective first approached the 16-year-old in his unmarked vehicle, the teen ran and called him again on the cell phone. “You ain’t no cop, are you?” the teen asked, the report said.
The detective said he was not a cop and the deal was reset. This time, the male the detective approached in the alleyway was the 14-year-old, who gave the detective seven gel caps containing a substance later confirmed to be heroin, the report said.
The 16-year-old was standing in a nearby doorway and yelled to the detective, “Call me when you want some more,” the report said.
Officers then rushed into the house and arrested the two teens, the report said. The 16-year-old admitted to selling drugs, and the 14-year-old said he was selling drugs because he wanted to give it a try.
During the apprehension, the 16-year-old said to the detective, “I knew you were a cop,” the report said.
TweetArson investigators called to house fire
DAYTON - The Dayton Fire Department dispatched an arson investigator to a house fire at 927 Dustin St., which firefighters determined is vacant.
Crews responded to the address about 8:50 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, after someone noticed flames coming from the house, according to police and fire dispatch radio traffic.
There was no one inside the home at the time of fire, according to a department dispatcher.
The dispatcher said he was unsure of the damages to the home, which does not appear on the city’s nuisance list.
City officials announced last month that they were going to begin demolishing vacant homes deemed by the city to be nuisance properties.
Two nuisance houses that fire department officials said were set ablaze by arsonists on July 23 were demolished the next day.
TweetDragged detective returns after 7-week leave, arrests two on first morning
DAYTON — A veteran Dayton police detective who broke three ribs and suffered other injuries when a suspect dragged him with a car arrested two men on Monday, Aug. 3, at the same facility where the previous incident occurred and within hours of returning after a seven-week medical leave.
Jamie Bullens said Wednesday he is still very sore following the June 16 incident that began when he arrived at First Street Recycling Inc. to interview a suspect who had redeemed suspicious materials. Bullens, who is part of the Metal Theft Unit, is the department’s specialist on crimes involving recyclable materials theft.
Bullens attempted to interview the suspect, Gregory Lee Walz, inside the building through which cars pass to drop off material and accept cash. During the interview, Walz got back into his white Jeep Liberty and attempted to flee.
Bullens, attempting to stop him, was dragged about 30 feet until the Liberty crashed into a cement wall outside of the building. The crash sent Bullens into the wall, and the impact broke three ribs on his right side, he said. He also suffered injuries to his shoulder and knee.
A recycling facility security guard used Bullens’ police radio to call for help, and another police crew arrived to arrest Walz, who was still in his vehicle.
Walz was arrested and later indicted on charges of felonious assault, vandalism and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. Walz has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Bullens said he was sedated for four weeks, including one week in the hospital and three weeks at home. He spent the remaining weeks recuperating but was anxious to return to work despite the severity of the incident, he said.
“Things like that, in our profession, happen in seconds,” Bullens said. “I tell people I try to live for the moment, because that’s all that’s guaranteed. That day was pretty status quo, then it’s 3 o’clock, about an hour before you get off, and you get a phone call and everything is altered.”
By 9 a.m. Monday, his first day back, Bullens and his partner received a call about suspicious materials being redeemed at the same First Street Recycling facility. The investigation led to the arrest of two men — Ben Nartker, 22, and Brett D. Beatty, 26 — who allegedly broke into the former Dunbar High School building, which is vacant, last Friday, Saturday and Sunday and illegally removed approximately 1,000 pounds of copper pipe and air conditioning components, Bullens said.
Nartker and Beatty were booked into the Montgomery County Jail on felony charges of breaking and entering on Wednesday morning, according to jail records.
Beginning with that investigation, Bullens has returned to his usual work routine, he said. He emphasized his appreciation for cards, thoughts and visits he received both from colleagues and others who showed their concern for his health.
“My emotion is that of a good Christian, that I try to understand logic behind what people do,” Bullens said. “But, you never understand. You accept that some people do bad things.
“For me, it’s more of a healing process. I just appreciate being given a second chance.”
Phony officers preying on older victims could be statewide problem
DAYTON - A group posing as Dayton police detectives to swindle money from older victims might have bilked another victim the same day the real police alerted reporters that police were searching for the suspects.
A woman told police that people posing as police detectives came to her Upland Avenue home on Monday, Aug. 3, and knew her name, Detective Cayce Cantrell said. The woman took the phony cops to a nearby bank and withdrew funds to give to them, Cantrell said.
Reports of similar activity have surfaced in the Columbus and Cincinnati areas, and police are investigating a possible connection to the group operating in Dayton, Cantrell said.
Police had received two similar reports in the past two months about the same suspected group. In one instance, the 97-year-old victim drove the would-be detectives to her bank and obtained a balance slip. The suspects then drove her back to her home and stole her credit card, which they later attempted to use at a Walgreens store.
To read more about the suspects and the investigation, click here.
TweetVehicular homicide charges filed in death of Xenia man
DAYTON - A 24-year-old Dayton man police said caused a three-car fatal accident faces two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide after a six-month investigation.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s office approved those charges Monday, Aug. 3, against Runyon Yarbrough along with four felony counts of vehicular assault and one count of receiving stolen property, spokesman Greg Flannagan said.
Dayton police said Yarbrough was driving a stolen Chevy Malibu on Dec. 12 when he ran a red light and caused a three-car accident at the intersection of Main and Washington streets.
David Bullock, 31, of Xenia, who was in one of the cars, died at the scene.
Police said Yarbrough was driving “at least” 70 mph downtown shortly before running the red light.
Three others in the crash and were taken to Miami Valley Hospital. A passenger in the Malibu was captured after a brief foot chase.
No other arrests were made at the time of the accident and Yarbrough has never been detained on charges related to the accident.
He was picked up Tuesday afternoon, according to police, pending a grand jury indictment.
A background check found that Yarbrough is on probation for a 2004 vehicular assault conviction. He was also convicted of drug possession (crack cocaine), leaving the scene of an accident and improper discharge of a firearm in 2004, according to court records.
He was ordered to prison for all four convictions.
Stay with DaytonDailyNews.com for more information on this story.
TweetPolice: Giving money to homeless panhandlers not helping
DAYTON - Police in the city’s southern corridor are asking people to stop giving money to panhandlers begging near Brown and Stewart streets.
Officers in the city’s 2nd police district, the southeastern portion of the city contained by East Fifth Street and Carrillon Park, said those giving money to panhandlers are only enabling their drug and alcohol addictions.
“These are people that are refusing the numerous services in the city available to them,” Lt. Chris Williams said. “They do not want to be housed and they are not going hungry.”
Williams said his district has seen an increase in people holding signs on street corners near Veterans Park, where many of the illegal panhandlers congregate.
Panhandlers are preying on those coming from Oakwood and Kettering who are not aware of the services available to the homeless in Dayton, Williams said.
He said those holding signs claiming to be a “homeless vet” are often everything but a military veteran.
Williams’ unit has compiled a list of 18 “chronic homeless” panhandlers who are refusing to stay or have been kicked out of area shelters, opting instead to beg for money.
John C. Hibbits, 59, is at the top of Williams’ list and has been arrested at least a dozen times within the last six months on charges from public intoxication to panhandling, Montgomery County Jail records show.
Williams said those wishing to donate money should give to a legitimate organization that help the homeless.
He said those approached by a panhandler should “politely” say no. If you feel a panhandler is becoming aggressive immediately call 911.
“All these people are panhandling to serve their drug and alcohol addictions,” Williams said. “We want people to stop helping them do that.”
TweetSmash and grab nets cash register from local Mexican restaurant
DAYTON - A faulty alarm system at a local Mexican restaurant might have allowed a burglar(s) to smash into the building and get away with a cash register.
Officers were dispatched to Taqueria Mixteca, 1609 E. Third St., about 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3, after a nearby business reported someone smashed the glass-front door of the restaurant.
Police notified the restaurant’s owner, Francisco Mejia, 27, who arrived to find the cash register had been taken, according to a police report.
Mejia told officers there was about $250 in the register, the report stated. Mejia said he has been having problems with the alarm and the alarm company, the report stated.
The restaurant’s security alarm never activated, but Mejia said he does have surveillance video, the report stated.
There was no other damage to the restaurant, which was open for business Monday. Anyone with information about the incident should call 333-COPS.
TweetPolice looking for group posing as cops to prey on elderly
DAYTON - Police are investigating two similar reports in the last two months of people posing as Dayton police detectives in order to bilk elderly victims out of money.
In both cases, people dressed in suits displayed a fake police badge to gain access to an 87-year-old’s and 97-year-old’s home in the middle of the day, Sgt. Dan Mauch said.
“They are preying on the elderly,” Mauch said.
The first report came on June 16. An 87-year-old woman said a black man and woman both in their 40s or 50s knocked on her door dressed in business suits, according to a police report.
The victim said the male opened his suit jacket to reveal what appeared to be a police badge, Mauch said. The victim said the would-be detectives said they were investigation an “arson and fraud,” the report stated.
The couple asked the victim numerous questions, including: “Did you live alone? Do you have an outside entrance from your side or attic? Does the car parked out front belong to you?
The couple then produced a “yearbook-style” photo lineup and asked the victim if she recognized anyone in the photos, the report stated.
The victim said the couple hurried up and left her home in the 100 block of N. Marion Street when she told them company would be arriving soon.
The victim asked for the couple’s business cards and names. The duo could not produce business cards, but the man wrote a fake name before leaving abruptly.
Mauch said the duo did not take anything from the home.
The second instance occurred on July 24 in the 200 block of Brooklyn Avenue. The men told the 97-year-old homeowner they were investigating a rape and asked if she kept money or weapons in the house, the report stated.
The 97-year-old woman drove two black men in suits to her bank after the men asked about her checking accounts.
The victim got a statement balance slip from the teller and nothing else, Mauch said. They then drove the woman back to her house and stole her credit card.
Days later the men tried to use the stolen card at a Walgreens to buy prepaid debit cards or gift cards with the stolen credit card, Mauch said. The woman had already canceled the card and the purchase was denied, Mauch said.
A black man in his late 30s or early 40s is seen on Walgreens’ surveillance video dressed in a suit and grabbing the card from the teller after the purchase is denied.
Three black men in suits then walk out of the store.
Mauch said anyone approached by a police officer to ask for the officer’s identification card.
“Everyone carries them and if you suspect something call 333-COPS and we will send an officer to your location,” Mauch said.
Police are asking if you know anything about the suspects or the burglaries to call 333-COPS.
TweetFirefighter’s actions forces restaurant to close its doors
DAYTON - A Dayton firefighter has been accused of breaking into The Amber Rose restaurant, causing the restaurant to close its doors for repairs. (View the photos.)
Oscar D. Burgess, 33, was arrested by Dayton police about 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, according to a police report. Burgess is a firefighter/medic with the department.
Witnesses saw Burgess enter the east rear door of the restaurant, 1400 Valley Street. It is unclear if Burgess took anything from the restaurant.
The restaurant was closed Monday, Aug. 3, while it repairs from the damages caused by Burgess, a restaurant employee said.
Burgess is in the Montgomery County Jail on a felony charge of breaking and entering. Burgess was hired by the Dayton Fire Department in January of 2001, Asst. Chief Jeffrey Payne said.
Payne said department officials are looking into the situation and have not disciplined Burgess at this time.
A call left Monday, Aug. 3, with the detective investigating the incident was not immediately returned. Check back with DaytonDailyNews.com for more information on this story.
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