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Steubenville Police
Deep thinker: A traffic stop for a too-loud exhaust, a suspicious 9-1-1 call and name dropping ended up with two people being taken into custody, Tuesday. Police said the driver, eventually identified as George Thomas, 33, 311 Ave. K, Weirton, told them he was aware how noisy his exhaust was and volunteered that it "was not yet welded together" when they stopped him in the 1200 block of University Boulevard.
Police said Thomas originally told them his name was "James," and his female passenger identified herself as "Ashley Bennett," but as police were running their names through dispatch a "single 9-1-1 call came in for shots fired on Maryland Avenue." One of the two investigating officers was headed there until police were told the caller's phone "was pinging in the exact parking lot (the vehicle) was stopped in" and had gone straight to voicemail when they tried to call back, so that officer returned.
While they waited for a K-9 assist from the sheriff's department, officers said the driver told them "no one in the vehicle, that he knew of, called 9-1-1" and insisted his female passenger "was not lying about her identity." Then, when told the K-9 had "alerted" to the presence of drugs or drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, police said Thomas told them "he watches You Tube and that deputy ... was lying." Police said they located Narcan, pieces of burned foil, multiple pieces of metal with a burned end as well as a tiny glass jar with a burned foil top" which police said "appeared to be used for smoking narcotics" in the vehicle.
Since Thomas initially was only being charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, police told Bennett and an unidentified male passenger, neither of whom are licensed, they could wait at the car for him to return and report that while he was being booked he mentioned he'd been in the Jefferson County jail before but when corrections officers running the name he'd given them, "James Thomas," through their system they unable to locate him in the system he said he "must have gotten confused with jail in West Virginia."
After obtaining a photo ID for the information he'd given them police said he admitted he'd given them a fictitious name, but when they told him they'd located outstanding warrant through Steubenville Municipal Court and learned he did not have a valid license report he "insisted he lied again and his name was actually James," but they didn't buy it. Police said they also determined the female passenger had given them a fictitious name and also had an outstanding warrant, though she, too, denied it.
Police charged George Thomas with possession of drug paraphernalia, falsification and served him with the bench warrant. He also was cited for no operator's license and loud exhaust.
His passenger, identified as Brittany Bennett, 28, 1111 Clare Ave., Steubenville, also was charged with falsification and served with a warrant for failure to appear, police said.
Three juveniles charged: Three juveniles were taken into custody after police spotted them in a Kia Sedona that had been reported stolen from an Oregon Avenue location earlier in the day, Tuesday. Police said the driver, who was not apprehended, fled when police tried to pull the vehicle over, running stop signs and a red light and traveling the "wrong way up the Market Street exit ramp onto Washington Street. The chase ended when the driver ran into a curb on Belleview Boulevard and a tire fell off. One boy was still in the van when he was taken into custody, police said. A female who fled on foot was charged with obstruction and another male was captured not far away and charged with an unspecified felony. Two of the kids were taken to the detention center and the third was turned over to children services. Police said Ring camera footage suggests the vehicle was stolen between 3:21 a.m. and 4:21 a.m.
Stolen cars: A Majestic Circle resident reported his gray Kia Sportage had been stolen overnight Tuesday, and an Oak Grove Avenue resident also reported a car had been stolen overnight Monday
Found: A stolen vehicle was recovered on Opal Boulevard, Tuesday. Police said the owner spotted the vehicle was still running with the driver's side door open and said he hadn't touched anything. Police said the thief left two screwdrivers, channel locks and a cut USB cord behind.
Has to go: A Brady Circle resident told police her ex is sending her threatening text messages, Tuesday. Earlier in the day she said she'd found her tire slashed.
Backfired: A Maxwell Avenue resident told police a man known to him had brandished a firearm at him, Tuesday. Police spoke to the other man, who said he'd been in a local business at the same time as the other man without incident, but when he was walking home he said the Maxwell Avenue man "drove onto the sidewalk in (his) direction." A female showed police video of the car on the sidewalk, though it didn't show the man who was walking home. Thomas Welling, 28, 410 Maxwell Ave., was cited for driving on the sidewalk, police said.
Unhappy: A Mingo Junction woman wanted to pursue charges because a man moved her vehicle without her permission, Monday. The two were arguing when police arrived, and the male told police he moved her car because where she'd parked it on Hill Avenue was "blocking some sort of water hole." Police told the man the next time there was a parking issue to call them instead of moving the car himself, and the two were told to separate.
Duking it out: A man said he was "hanging out" with a family member in the 300 block of North Seventh Street when they started arguing and he got punched in the face, Monday. Police said door decorations had been knocked over, there was blood on the floor and the victim had a laceration next to his nose from the altercation. Marcus Reinacher, 51, 732 N. Sixth Ave., Apt. 5, Steubenville was booked for domestic violence, police said.
Fists flying: A Henry Avenue resident said her 14-year-old niece and another female got into her vehicle uninvited in the 500 block of Maxwell Avenue and then refused to get out, Monday. She said she continued on to her home but as she was getting out of the car her niece and the other girl jumped her and then they "all three ended up fighting."
Punched her ticket: A woman told police she was checking out of a market on Maxwell Avenue when a woman with whom she has a history of problems "punched her in the side of the face," Monday. She had no visible injuries and declined medical assistance but told police she'd like to pursue charges.
Rental issues: An Orchard Street landlord told police his tenants had moved out "and left garbage throughout the residence," Monday. He asked police to stand by while he told tenant who moved out that the locks were being changed and whatever he left behind was going to be thrown out.
One charged, one cited: A driver was cited and his passenger taken into custody following a traffic stop in the 400 block of South Third Street, Tuesday. Police said Joshua Swiger, 40, 101 Dickson St., Weirton, was cited for driving under suspension and a turning violation, while his passenger, Jeremy Alderson, 42, 526 Ross St., Steubenville, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Disturbance: A Lawson Avenue resident and his girlfriend admitted they were in a physical altercation, Wednesday. Police said both had minor injuries but neither of them wanted to pursue charges, so they made them separate for the night.