Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary hearing was set Sept. 11 for Luke Reid, 41, Empire, charged with breaking and entering, receiving stolen property and theft, all fifth-degree felonies, for allegedly cutting a hole in the fence at the sewage treatment plant in Salineville, then being seen on video operating a John Deere riding mower owned by the sewage plant, traveling south down to the North Fork of Yellow Creek on Sept. 4.

Village police officers received pictures and text messages the defendant allegedly sent to someone admitting he stole the tractor and hid it on the shore of the North Fork of Yellow Creek under some grass and sticks. The damaged stolen lawn mower was located and returned to the sewage plant. A dolly worth $1,500 was also reported missing and when taken into custody, he allegedly admitted to taking the dolly.

A pretrial was set Sept. 15 for David Michael Clarke, 38, Moore Road, East Liverpool, charged with domestic violence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business for allegedly putting a woman in a chokehold and yelling during an argument on Sept. 4 in St. Clair Township, then walking away from police officers and resisting after being taken into custody.

A pretrial was set Sept. 8 for Molly Brown, 18, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with assault for allegedly entering another woman’s home in East Liverpool and punching her in the head and face on Aug. 31. Once on the ground, she began slamming the woman’s head off of the hard floor.

A pretrial was set Sept. 15 for Ryan Thompson, 43, Jennings Avenue, Salem, charged with aggravated menacing and criminal trespass for allegedly calling and leaving a voicemail threatening to kill workers of the Counseling Center and also trespassing at Hornsby House, both in Lisbon on Sept. 4.

A pretrial was set Dec. 2 for Jessica Gault, 40, McKinnon Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with theft for allegedly failing to scan and pay for 25 items totaling $140 at the Calcutta Walmart on Aug. 29.

A pretrial was set Sept. 22 for Christy Lynn Dawson, 47, Lee Street, East Liverpool, charged with operating a vehicle impaired first offense, OVI refusal with prior within 20 years and marked lanes for a traffic stop on Dec. 29, 2024 and for OVI first offense, driving under suspension and a turn signal violation for a traffic stop on Nov. 24, 2024. A probation violation hearing was also set Sept. 22 for Dawson for a 2022 case for failure to stop after an accident.

A pretrial was set Dec. 4 for Homer Carnes Jr., 45, state Route 154, Lisbon, charged with OVI second offense and no turn signals.

A pretrial was set Dec. 9 for Natalie Berg, 26, East Main Street, East Palestine, charged with OVI first offense and reasonable control.

Landon Gingher, 21, West Martin Street, East Palestine, was fined $925 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 174 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, leaving three days still to serve in jail for OVI and failure to control. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and his driver’s license was suspended for one year.

A pretrial was set Dec. 9 for Ashley Kerr, 34, East Taggart Street, East Palestine, charged with OVI first offense and a tail light violation.

A pretrial was set Oct. 28 for Kathy Williams, 69, East Fourth Street, Salem, charged with driving while texting.

A pretrial was set Dec. 9 for Harley Shields, 29, Midland, Pa., charged with no valid license, speeding and failure to display valid sticker.

A pretrial was set Oct. 14 for John Sexauer, 27, Canonsburg, Pa., charged with speeding.

A pretrial was set Dec. 9 for Miguel Rodriguez, 23, Cleveland, charged with driving under suspension and speeding.

A pretrial was set Oct. 21 for Alfred Powell, 37, 20th Street, Wellsville, charged with speeding.

A pretrial was set Oct. 7 for David Russell, 61, Main Street, Wellsville, charged with speeding.

A pretrial was set Dec. 9 for Marcus Bowersock, 35, Echo Dell Road, East Liverpool, charged with physical control and driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Oct. 21 for Gregory Weaver, 67, Seventh Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set for Paul Biese, 21, Brimfield, Colo., charged with speeding.

Jessie Barcus, 28, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and unauthorized plate.

Leonard Nichols, 65, Oak Street, East Liverpool, was fined $180 for no license and no seat belt.

Gary Blare, 44, Oval Drive, Wellsville, was fined $150 for no license and improper plate.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Christopher Crooms, Lincoln Street Extension, Salineville, vs. Leonard Hruby, Seigler Road, Salineville, and Geico Insurance Agency, Columbus; damages sought for personal injury/negligence and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims from 2025 traffic crash.

Court News

LISBON — A Salineville man accused of sexual conduct with a minor was recently sentenced in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to three years in prison.

Alan Taylor, 33, Academy Street, had previously entered a guilty plea to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony, for having sexual conduct with a teen from April 1, 2023 through Nov. 30, 2023. The teen was 14 years old when the sexual conduct began.

He received credit for one day served in jail. He was also designated a Tier II sex offender, requiring him to register his address with the sheriff’s office in the county where he resides after his release, every 180 days for 25 years.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Jakob Bell Sr., 35, Grant Street, Lisbon, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Nov. 13. He was accused of possessing methamphetamine on March 16, 2024.

— Kelly Shafer, 43, Beaver Falls, Pa., was placed under community control for five years for two counts of nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, for failing to pay child support for two children from July 5, 2020 to July 3, 2022.