Steubenville Police

Two facing charges: A Follansbee man is facing charges after he grappled with a police officer investigating a report of a man in distress Friday evening on the steps to the Market Street bridge while his female companion ended up in custody on drug charges, police said.

Police said Levi Thomas, 40, 819 Terika Drive, Follansbee, was booked into the Jefferson County jail on charges of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and falsification, while his female companion, Angela Lively, 34, 227 Canterbury Blvd., Steubenville, was served with a bench warrant and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a used hypodermic. Lively also was charged with two counts of possessing drugs and conveyance of contraband into the jail after corrections officers allegedly found another hypodermic needle plus a bag containing a blue powder believed to be fentanyl and another containing a white, rock-like substance believed to be crack, police said. Callers had told police a man appeared to be passed out at the top of the steps, but police said he was “standing and … walking around” when they got to him and after confirming he was OK, told him they needed his information for their report. The officer said he was unable to confirm the man’s identity using the name and birthdate he’d given them and said he’d also spotted a “large knife” attached to the thigh of his female companion. While he was getting the woman’s information the officer said the male “began walking … across the bridge” into West Virginia and he twice told him that he couldn’t leave until his identity was confirmed. Instead of complying, the officer said the man tried again to walk away so he reached for his arm to try to keep him there and alleges Thomas “grabbed (him) by the vest, breaking the Velcro fasteners (on it) and pushing (him) against the walkway of the bridge overlooking (state) Route 7.” The officer said he eventually was able to get the man under control but couldn’t call for backup because he’d lost his portable radio during the scuffle, reporting that the male “attempted to break free from (his) grip throughout the entire altercation” before another officer arrived to assist. Police reported finding “several knives” on Thomas after he was taken into custody.

Living hell: A woman refused to press charges but asked police to remove her male companion from her home after he allegedly “shoved her out of the house and then proceeded to pull her back in due to her not wearing pants,” Sunday. Police said they could hear the woman crying in an upstairs room when they entered the house, which they said was “disheveled with clothing (strewn about) and holes in the wall.” She had no injuries but wanted the male to leave for the night. Police said the male was shirtless when he came outside to talk with them and they’d spotted a red mark on his chest but the woman told them it was “self-inflicted to get her in trouble.” A caller had reported seeing the male drag her into the residence “after an altercation took place outside,” police said.

Items recovered: A city resident was taken into custody after a break-in was reported at a Lawson Avenue residence, Sunday. Police said John R. Yoders, 46, 619 Grandview Ave., was charged with burglary (pending) after the homeowner identified items he allegedly had in his possession, including a small Roku television and computer monitor, as belonging to her. She’d told police her Hisense television and mount, an Xbox and a Nintendo Switch were also missing. Police report Yoders told them he “just found the items near a vacant structure and picked them up.”

Don’t tell him no: Callers said a man on Market Street at Fourth was harassing passersby, Friday. They said he was asking people for money and when told no, “would begin to yell profanities at them.” Police located the man, who denied the allegations and left the area.

Determined: A South Fourth Street resident needed a family member to be removed from her home, Friday. Police said the male “climbed through her living room window,” pushing her air conditioner out of the way so he could open the window and get inside. Police said there were pieces of cardboard and duct tape on the ground outside the home and the air conditioner was out of place. The female resident said she’d heard the man outside her bedroom window around 1 a.m., “trying to get her and her husband’s attention … knocking on the window and yelling their names” but initially thought he’d left. They told police he had lived there for a time but hadn’t stayed at the residence for a month.

Dueling accounts: A man claimed he was assaulted by an individual he’s had ongoing issues with, Friday. He said he was walking past his apartment building when the other man “began to make comments toward him” so he turned around and asked him “what he was saying.” He claimed the other man began “making comments that he was going to assault him” and tried to punch him in the face but got his shoulder instead, police said. He wants to pursue charges. The other man told police the caller “harasses him daily” and on that day “began directing comments toward him about his dogs and other ongoing issues between the two of them.” He said on that day the caller started running his mouth and they “exchanged comments” and started to leave but changed his mind and turned around and came toward him. He said he told the other man not to approach him but he did anyway, so he “swiped his hand at (the caller) to prevent him from coming any (closer).” He said he did not make contact with any part of the caller’s body and eventually the man “turned around and left the area on foot.”

Fired up: A Union Avenue resident said her husband “discharged a shotgun inside the residence” then fled the area on foot, Sunday. Police were unable to locate the man.

Funny money: A woman passed a counterfeit $100 bill at the downtown Speedway, Saturday. Employees said the woman purchased a few items valued at under $10 and handed them the $100, then pocketed the change and left the store before they discovered the fraud.

Stolen: Someone broke into a storage unit in a parking lot in the 800 block of Market Street and stole two weed eaters, Friday. Police said windows and doors to the unit were locked, but a window had been broken from the inside.

Parking problems: Parking issues in front of a business in the 1200 block of Lincoln Avenue led to a disturbance between property owners, Saturday. An employee said he’d asked an individual who parked in front of the business to move his car so customers could access it and an argument ensued, including alleged threats of assault. He said it’s been an ongoing issue, and the argument continued until the other man got in his car and left the area. A neighbor said the business owner lets residents park in front of the business when it’s closed and that morning her son parked there so he could run in the house to grab something and was going to leave, but an employee walked onto the porch telling her to move his vehicle. When her son came out, the two of them started arguing.

Not found: A caller reported seeing a man “wandering through the roadway, reportedly waving a firearm” in the 1300 block of Oregon Avenue, Saturday. Police searched the area but said they didn’t see anyone out due to the extreme weather conditions.

Relationship issues: A man at a Plum Street location told police he and the mother of his child were arguing “over relationship complications” and he threw a water bottle at the ground but nothing physical took place, Saturday. The female told police he’d “called her names” but said the disagreement was strictly verbal, though she said he’s no longer welcome at her home and wants him to leave and not return. He gathered his things and left.

Mum’s the word: A Sherman Avenue resident said her daughter was assaulted by a male acquaintance but when police spoke with the younger woman she refused to talk to them, Monday. Police said the woman told them “she knew her rights and did not wish to speak with (them).” An hour later police responded to the location to find a male sitting in the parking lot between Sherman Avenue and North Sixth Street, He said he’d “had a disagreement with his girlfriend and denied any physical altercation between the two” but said he wanted his belongings out of her apartment. He was advised to stay away for the rest of the night.

A woman and her male companion complained her family was “threatening to kick her out of the residence and that they were going to (take) her belongings to Goodwill,” Sunday. Police told the woman they would advise the family she’d established residency and attempt to resolve the situation with her belongings. They spoke with her family they would need to use the eviction process to have the couple removed, but while they were there noted the caller “became aggressive” with a sibling, but the sibling didn’t want to press charges.

Cited: Ronald Eaton, 25, 1412 Maryland Ave., Steubenville, display of plates; Joseph Lamantia III, 26, 564 Woodvue Lane, Wintersville, driving under suspension; Moniique DeJaro, 34, 638 Arden Ave., Steubenville, driving under suspension

Booked: David Williams, 36, Scio, failure to appear, Friday; Jesse L. Coen, 33, of 34 Lennon Lane, Wellsburg, falsification, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, Sunday.