Eaton – For the second time in two days, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers have made a significant marijuana seizure on Interstate 70 in Preble County. The two seizures came within approximately two miles of each other. At 9:06 a.m. today, troopers recovered 66 pounds of marijuana, valued at $150,000, on eastbound Interstate 70 near milepost 7. Early yesterday morning, troopers seized 106 pounds of marijuana, valued at $240,402 on eastbound Interstate 70 near milepost 9.
Angel Melendez, 30, of Blytheville, Ark., and Gerardo Torres, 25, of Mission, Texas, were each charged with second-degree felony possession of marijuana, and fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools. They are incarcerated at the Preble County Jail, and will be arraigned in the Preble County Court tomorrow.
Troopers stopped the 1991 Toyota Tercel, driven by Melendez, for a cracked windshield violation. A Patrol drug-detecting canine alerted to the vehicle and a probable cause search revealed 66 pounds of marijuana hidden in floorboard compartments located under both front seats.
If convicted, each suspect could face up to nine years in prison and up to a $17,500 fine.
Note to editors: For photographs of the drugs, contact the Patrol’s Crime Lab in Columbus after 4:00 p.m. at (614) 466-4790. For photographs of the vehicle, contact Tpr. Anverse at the Patrol’s Piqua District Headquarters at (937) 773-1131.
Eaton – Three Arizona residents will be arraigned in the Preble County Court today on felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 106 pounds of marijuana from their vehicle yesterday on Interstate 70 in Preble County. Carmen Fisher, 20, Brandyce Murphy, 23, and Fancisco Mendez, 19, were each charged with second-degree felony possession of marijuana, and fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools.
Troopers stopped the 1998 Mercury Tracer, driven by Fisher, on eastbound Interstate 70, near milepost 9, in Preble County at 1:05 a.m. yesterday. The vehicle was stopped for failure to use turn signals and marked lane violations. A canine from the Clayton Police Department alerted to the vehicle and a probable cause search revealed 106 pounds of marijuana wrapped in cellophane bundles, concealed in the doors and trunk of the vehicle. The marijuana is estimated to have a street value of $240,402.
If convicted, each suspect could face up to nine years in prison and up to a $17,500 fine. All three suspects were incarcerated in the Preble County Jail.
Note to editors: For photographs of the drugs, contact the Patrol’s Crime Lab in Columbus at (614) 466-4790. For photographs of the vehicle, contact Tpr. Anverse at the Patrol’s Piqua District Headquarters at (937) 773-1131.
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Maumee – Two Washington, D.C., residents were arraigned yesterday in the Maumee Municipal Court on felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 50 pounds of marijuana from their vehicle yesterday on the Ohio Turnpike. Ronald E. Stevens, 50, and Amina Zola, 58, were each charged with trafficking in marijuana and possession of marijuana, both second-degree felonies.
Troopers stopped the rented 2002 Ford Windstar Minivan, driven by Stevens, on eastbound Interstate 80, near milepost 53, in Lucas County at 11:31 a.m. yesterday. The vehicle was stopped for traveling 83 mph in a 65 mph zone. A canine alerted to the vehicle and a probable cause search revealed 53 bundles of marijuana in the side and back door panels. The marijuana totaled 50 pounds, and is estimated to have a street value of $113,500.
If convicted, each suspect could face up to 16 years in prison and up to a $30,000 fine. Stevens and Zola are being held in the Lucas County Jail, with a $25,000 bond set for each charge.
Cleveland – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting two people were killed and another injured when a MedEvac helicopter crashed shortly after take-off from University Hospitals in Cleveland at approximately 12:24 a.m. Friday.
Killed in the crash were pilot William R. Spence, 51, of Marshallville, and flight nurse Kelly Conti, 38, of Wickliffe. Injured was medic Joe Paoletta, 29, of Brecksville, who was transported to the Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center burn unit.
The Cleveland Police Department, Cleveland Fire Department, and University Hospitals Protective Services are assisting the Patrol. The Federal Aviation Administration is on the scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board is responding.
The Patrol investigation is ongoing.
Springfield – Tpr. Cleaveland of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield
Post received the Superintendent’s Citation of Merit at ceremonies held today
at the Springfield Post. Colonel Kenneth L. Morckel, Patrol superintendent,
presented the award to Tpr. Cleaveland for placing his own life in danger to
save a man from electrocution on November 19, 2001.
On that rainy evening, Tpr. Cleaveland arrived at the scene of a one-vehicle crash on State Route 296 in Champaign County. The driver of the car hit a utility pole, which fell down. As the uninjured driver and Tpr. Cleaveland headed to the patrol cruiser to complete a crash report, a downed power line knocked the driver down, entangling his legs in the line and electrocuting him with 7,200 volts of electricity. Tpr. Cleaveland immediately ran to his car to call for assistance as fire shot from the man’s leg.
Tpr. Cleaveland took his non-conductive rescue rope from his cruiser and rushed back to the victim. Tpr. Cleaveland used the rope to make a loop with one end and, from a distance of about five feet, threw it over the man’s leg. He then used the rope to shake the man free of the live power line. He then moved in closer to the line, grabbed the man by his collar, and pulled him to safety.
Tpr. Cleaveland and a bystander performed CPR on the victim until he began to breathe on his own. Leaving the bystander to monitor the victim’s breathing, Tpr. Cleaveland closed the road to allow access to emergency personnel and a Med Flight helicopter. Thanks to Tpr. Cleaveland’s efforts, doctors gave the victim an excellent chance of survival.
Tpr. Cleaveland joined the Patrol in January 1993 as a member of the 124th Academy class. He received his commission the following June and was assigned to the Springfield Post.
A native of Springfield, Tpr. Cleaveland graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1988. Prior to joining the Patrol, he served in the U.S. Army, where he was awarded the National Defense Medal. He resides in Enon with his wife, Lydia, and their two children, Emily, 7, and Cole, 3.
Maumee – Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers made the largest seizure of psilocybin
"magic mushrooms" in Ohio history yesterday on the Ohio Turnpike following
a traffic stop, and filed felony charges on two suspects in connection with
the seizure. Andrew Florey, 27, of Missoula, Montana, and Robin Johnson, 27
of Brattleboro, Vermont, are each charged with first-degree felony possession
of drugs, and first-degree felony trafficking in drugs. They were incarcerated
at the Lucas County Jail, and are scheduled to be arraigned in the Maumee Municipal
Court today.
At 11:13 a.m. Thursday, a rented 2001 Chevrolet Lumina driven by Florey was stopped for a speeding violation on eastbound Interstate 80, near milepost 53, in Lucas County. A Patrol drug-detecting canine was summoned to the scene and alerted to the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed a black duffel bag in the trunk that contained two large plastic bags of psilocybin "magic mushrooms" that weighed a total of 23 pounds, with an estimated street value of $73,600. The previous largest "magic mushroom" seizure in Ohio was 11 pounds by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Yesterday’s drug seizure marked the third consecutive Thursday that state troopers made a significant drug seizure on the Ohio Turnpike. Last Thursday troopers recovered 234 pounds of marijuana, valued at $530,000, and on Dec. 20 troopers recovered 79 pounds of marijuana valued at $179,330.
If convicted, each suspect could face a mandatory 10 years in prison, and up to a $20,000 fine for each first-degree felony.
Marion – A Cleveland woman will appear in the Marion Municipal Court today on felony charges after she was arrested for conveying drugs into the Marion Correctional Institution Monday. Troopers charged Kameela L. Shropshire, 21, with conveying drugs into a correctional facility, a third-degree felony.
Shropshire was visiting an inmate at the Marion Correctional Institution when Department of Rehabilitation and Correction officers noticed Shropshire attempting to pass a balloon to an inmate at about 2:30 p.m. Correction officers seized six balloons, containing about ten grams of marijuana, and turned the evidence over to troopers.
Shropshire is currently incarcerated at the Marion County Jail. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates criminal activity on state owned and leased property.