Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set April 21 for Seaton Ruffner, 41, last known address Ohio Avenue, Salem, charged with fourth-degree felonies of strangulation and domestic violence, fifth-degree felony vandalism and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly choking another man from behind, causing him to not be able to breath for a few moments during a domestic on April 10 in Salem. The victim had physical injury to the neck area and was transported to Salem Regional Medical Center. Ruffner was also accused of allegedly damaging the rear window of a police cruiser by kicking it after his arrest.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set April 17 for Ryan Pritt, 43, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, charged with fifth-degree felony vandalism and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing and criminal damaging or endangering. While incarcerated at the Columbiana County jail on April 6, Pritt allegedly threatened a correctional officer and acted aggressively toward him, damaging a pair of handcuffs and vandalizing the cell in the booking area by using the handcuffs to carve into the wall and door frame. 

Dallas Gotschall, 18, Beaver Street, Lisbon, was fined $150 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for assault. He was ordered to complete 30 hours community service and have no contact with the victim. He punched another man in the stomach and chest and scratched the back of his neck on March 18 in Lisbon.

A pretrial was set April 24 for Stefany Nussbaumer, 34, Youngstown, charged with disorderly conduct and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly causing a disturbance at the impound lot for Steve’s Towing in Leetonia on Sept. 8, 2023 and possessing several pills, crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop on Sept. 4, 2023 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set June 9 for Ania Amos, 21, Columbus, charged with obstructing official business for allegedly providing a false name and age to agents of the Columbiana County Drug Task Force and East Liverpool police officers executing a search warrant in East Liverpool on April 10.

A sentencing hearing was set May 27 for Derek Bragg, 34, Newell, W.Va., who entered a guilty plea to theft for stealing eight jugs of windshield washer fluid from Sheetz in Calcutta on Jan. 9.

A pretrial was set July 7 for Derek Thompson, 30, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, charged with obstructing official business for allegedly beginning to run from officers after being told to stop when agents from the Columbiana County Drug Task Force and East Liverpool police officers arrived to execute a search warrant at an East Liverpool residence on April 10.

A pretrial was set April 21 for Bradly Cianni, 39, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument for allegedly possessing a used syringe, drug scale and drug packaging during a traffic stop on March 28 in East Liverpool. He was fined $30 for expired decal.

A pretrial was set June 17 for De’Amonte Pagan, 25, Columbus, charged with drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a burnt used crack pipe at a location in East Liverpool where the Columbiana County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant in East Liverpool on April 10.

Pretrials were set June 17 for Dennis Martin, 70, and Jodie Martin, 63, both Etruria Street, East Liverpool, each charged with one count of failure to file city income tax return for allegedly failing to file an East Liverpool city income tax return in 2023.

A pretrial was set June 12 for Justin Gamble, 32, Bates Street, East Liverpool, charged with operating a vehicle impaired second offense, driving under suspension and improper/prohibited turn.

A pretrial was set June 17 for Quinlan Rumsey, 25, South Bandy Road, Alliance, charged with OVI first offense and a headlights violation.

A pretrial was set July 1 for Brenden Mullen, 24, Bristol, Ind., charged with OVI first offense and vehicles to be issued distinctive number/certificate/registration.

A pretrial was set June 12 for Ronald Odroneic, 72, Hillcrest Road, Wellsville, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense and reasonable control.

A pretrial was set June 12 for Lester Russell, 43, Saline Street, Irondale, charged with no valid license and use of unauthorized plate.

Ashly Thrasher, 36, Chester, W.Va., was fined $30 for traffic control device.

Steven May Jr., 31, Youngstown, was fined $30 for expired registration.

Joanna Jackson, 28, Centerville, Pa., was fined $30 for expired plates.

Austin Barnes, 29, West Fourth Street, Salem, was fined $130 for driving under suspension and a tail light violation.

Jacinto Tellez, 67, Chester, W.Va., was fined $130 for no license and following too close.

Kathyrn Exline, 59, Second Street, Hanoverton, was fined $30 for speeding.

Grand Jury

LISBON — A Wellsville man accused of assaulting three people during an incident in St. Clair Township was indicted by the Columbiana County Grand Jury this week for multiple charges, including aggravated burglary and felonious assault.

Timothy Reaggle, 19, Y & O Road, Wellsville, was one of 11 defendants openly indicted, with the grand jury also issuing 40 secret indictments after meeting for two days. Secret indictments aren’t revealed until the defendant is served with the paperwork.

Reaggle was charged with first-degree felony aggravated burglary, felonious assault, which is a second-degree felony, fourth-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing and two counts of assault.

Reaggle was accused of assaulting the three people during the Feb. 14 incident, first allegedly headbutting a woman in the face after she told him to leave, then tackling and assaulting a man outside the residence. Another man reported that when Reaggle first came into the residence and began fighting with everyone, he held a knife to the man’s neck, threatening him. When responding, St. Clair Township police passed Reaggle’s vehicle and then attempted to make a traffic stop, with Reaggle allegedly fleeing and then eventually pulling over.

Also served with open indictments were:

— Thomas Edward Gough, 28, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanors of domestic violence and aggravated menacing for allegedly strangling a woman twice during one incident and attempting to cause physical harm to the woman by allegedly attacking her with a sharp hook-like object on Feb. 22 in East Liverpool. He also allegedly threatened to burn her house down and got on top of her and held a fork to her chest threatening to stab her.

— John Wolfe Jr., 42, West Fourth Street, Salem, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and third-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly striking a woman in the face multiple times and hitting her head off of the bathroom door and also allegedly placing his forearm against her throat and attempting to strangle her on Oct. 18, 2024 in Salem. He had six previous domestic violence convictions.

— James B. Oiler, 41, First Street, Wellsville, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanors of assault and criminal damaging for allegedly purposefully driving his vehicle left of center to strike a vehicle driven by a woman on Birch Road in St. Clair Township in an attempt to cause harm on Feb. 14. He also allegedly punched the driver side window of the car, causing the woman to flee out the passenger door.

— Ryan Butler, 39, Desellem Road, Lisbon, fourth-degree felony assault, fifth-degree felony obstructing official business, and misdemeanors of assault and disorderly conduct for allegedly putting his hands on a security officer and pushing him out of the way at Salem Regional Medical Center, running out the door, but then being confronted by a deputy sheriff on Feb. 24 in Salem. He then allegedly grabbed the deputy’s vest and was brought under control by the deputy and hospital staff.

— Nicole Haynes, 36, Youngstown, fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly getting into another woman’s face while screaming, causing her to fear for her safety on Aug. 15, 2024. She also allegedly took the victim’s phone and threw it at her and struck the victim.

— Tiyler Tataseo, 25, Holiday Street, East Liverpool, third-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanor endangering children for allegedly striking a child in the face with his open hand on Feb. 17 in East Liverpool. He had two previous domestic violence convictions.

— Daniel Scott, 43, Warren, third-degree felony domestic violence and fourth-degree felony strangulation for allegedly grabbing a woman by her neck, squeezing and attempting to pick her up from the couch by her neck during an argument on March 14 in Lisbon, with two previous domestic violence convictions on his record.

— Darrell Reynolds Jr., 31, Cleveland, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of obstructing official business and resisting arrest for allegedly attempting to hide a bag of marijuana by swallowing it during a traffic stop on July 19, 2024 when he resisted arrest in East Liverpool.

— Mandy Hale, 44, Canton, third-degree felony tampering with evidence, fifth-degree felony obstructing official business and misdemeanors of resisting arrest and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. During a traffic stop on March 12 in Columbiana, an officer allegedly saw suspected methamphetamine in Hale’s lap. When he was putting on gloves to retrieve the suspected drugs, she allegedly grabbed a handful off of her lap and threw it towards the officer and out the driver side window. She then allegedly resisted arrest and would not get out of the vehicle or place the vehicle in park. The vehicle rolled forward several feet before the passenger put the vehicle in park. A digital scale and razor blade were located after a search.

— Samuel Masters, 48, Dresden Avenue, East Liverpool, third-degree felony charge of failure to verify change of address for failing to notify the sheriff’s office of his change of address for the sex offender registration on Dec. 2, 2024.

Common Pleas

New Cases

U.S. Bank National Association, Owensboro, Ky., vs. Tamarah Luketic, West Clark Street, East Palestine, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Tracie Lynn Cameron, Fourth Avenue, East Liverpool, vs. Chrystal Thompson, Riffle Road, Rogers; return of $14,968 cash and items of property including a side-by-side, box trailer, camper, car hauler trailer, two electric bikes, drone, exercise bike, several guns and ammunition for alleged claim of theft and conversion.

Erin Bevilacqua Stoudt, state Route 14, North Benton, and Andrew Stoudt, Slater Road, Salem; dissolution sought.

Corey Grimm, Poland, and Karly Johnson, Canfield; dissolution sought.

TH MSR Holdings LLC formerly known as Matrix Financial Services Corporation, Charlotte, N.C., vs. Justin Brinkley, East Main Street, East Palestine, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Docket Entries

James Shuler III vs. Marissa Wright; divorce granted.

Geoffrey Dixon and Kimberly Dixon; dissolution dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Linda French, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. David Anderson, et al.; payment plan completed, foreclosure complaint dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Melanie Scott; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. James Weatherby; payment plan completed, foreclosure complaint dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Colleen D’Amico; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Lisa Duncan, now known as McCourt, et al; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Dennis Morgan, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Elmer McBane, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Keith Groscrost, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Josh Van Horn, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Janelle Koontz, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Image Your Image, et al.; payment plan completed, foreclosure complaint dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Tiffini Springer, now known as Spencer, et al.; case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Tina Mitchell, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

Kyle Hutchison vs. Cheyenne Hutchison; divorce granted.

Stephen Shaw and Karen Shaw; dissolution granted.

Court News

LISBON — A man accused of burglary was ordered evaluated for competency and sanity during an appearance in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Lonnie Cunningham, 32, Riverview Street, East Liverpool, was ordered evaluated by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio for competency to stand trial and plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

He was charged with third-degree felony burglary for allegedly trespassing in an occupied structure to commit theft on Nov. 22, 2024. The trial set for April 14 was continued and a status hearing was set for June 5.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Rachael Butler, 61, Chagrin Falls, was ordered evaluated by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio for commitment. She was recently found not guilty by reason of insanity for a third-degree felony charge of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. She had been evaluated by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio for competency to stand trial and the ability to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, with the court finding she was competent to stand trial only. There was no objection from the state or the defense regarding the ruling of not guilty by reason of insanity. A further hearing was set for June 13. Butler allegedly fled from Salem police officers attempting a traffic stop on Aug. 28, 2024.