Monday, August 10, 1998
MASON -- A Paramount's Kings Island employee was being held on $35,000 bond in Warren County Jail Sunday on charges of rape and kidnapping stemming from an early morning incident at the theme park.
James H. Bennett, 20, of Baltimore Avenue, Cincinnati, faces a preliminary hearing Tuesday at Mason Municipal Court, a jail spokeswoman said.
Mason Police Detective Todd Carter said Sunday Mr. Bennett was an employee at the popular park but was unsure of his work history. A call to Kings Island went unreturned Sunday.
The alleged victim is 15.
The assault allegedly occurred at about 1 a.m. Saturday in a backstage area typically frequented only by workers, Barbara Colnar, park spokeswoman said Saturday.
A female park employee heard the assault occurring and assisted the girl, a guest at the park.
The suspect fled. The park is cooperating with police investigators, Ms. Colnar said.
2 hospitalized after stabbing listed as fair
Two 18-year-old multiple-stabbing victims were listed in fair condition at University Hospital following an altercation early Sunday, a hospital nursing supervisor said.
No arrests have been made. The victims indicated they knew the assailants, police said.
The victims, Vergil Riley and Hugh Jones, walked into the Cincinnati District 1 police station Sunday and said they were beaten and stabbed by five people, police said.
The two men said the assault occurred in the 200 block of Emming Street in Clifton Heights around 1 a.m., police said.
Police, who are calling the case a felonious assault, are still investigating.
Boy robs 80-year-old Price Hill woman
District 3 police are investigating a robbery of an 80-year-old woman Saturday night.
Stella Long said she was approached by a 13-year-old boy in the 900 block of Chateau Avenue in Price Hill at 7:30 p.m., and that the boy ripped her pocket off and stole $400, police said.
Clifton man charged with assault in attack
A Clifton man was charged Sunday with four felonies, including assault, after he allegedly struck a woman in the head with a pistol. Thomas Black, 25, of the 3500 block of Vine Street, was asleep at his home when he was arrested at 8:05 a.m., six hours after the alleged attack occurred there. During the apprehension, police found crack cocaine in his shorts, according to the report.
Mr. Black is charged with felonious assault, drug abuse, domestic violence and carrying a weapon under a disability.
Mount Airy man held in rape of girl
A Mount Airy man was charged Saturday with rape after an alleged incident involving a 15-year-old girl, Cincinnati police said. Robert Bedford, 40, of the 2700 block of Hillvista Lane, was arrested at 6:05 p.m. Saturday. The alleged incident occurred late Friday night and early Saturday morning at his home, according to the report.
Police search for man who robbed Provident
Police continued Sunday to investigate the aggravated robbery of a Provident Bank in Hyde Park Plaza Saturday morning. A man entered the branch inside the Thriftway grocery store at 3872 Paxton Road at 11:30 a.m., indicated he had a gun and stole an undetermined amount of money from the teller, police said.
The man was described as an African-American, 25 to 30 years old, about 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, weighing about 190 pounds. He was wearing a black ball cap with a Nike "swoosh" emblem, a black T-shirt, dark shorts and dark, 3/4-length hiking boots with white socks. The man had an acne-scarred face.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigation Section at 352-3542 or Crimestoppers at 352-3040. Callers may remain anonymous.
Auxier explosion not result of criminal act
Batavia Fire Department officials said no criminal wrongdoing is suspected in the propane tank explosion that injured six men Friday.
The field investigation was completed Sunday by a conglomeration of four agencies, including the Batavia Fire Department, Clermont County Fire Task Force, Ohio State Fire Marshall and Clermont County Sheriff's Office.
No cause for the explosion, which ripped apart Auxier Gas Co. and burned the six workers, has yet been determined.
Two of the six victims remained in fair condition Sunday: Tim Hendricks, 52, a manager at Auxier, and Jermaine Smith, 17, who was upgraded to fair condition Saturday at Shriners Burns Institute. The other four men's conditions remained the same: Eric Potters, Kyle Greiner and Josh Barnes, all 18, were in serious condition at University Hospital, where Robert Woods remains in critical condition.
Woman dies on I-74 in 1-car accident
A 42-year-old woman was killed in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 74 in Harrison on Saturday afternoon.
Harrison police were called to the highway, about 3 miles east of the Indiana border, to a report of a sports utility vehicle crash. When officer's arrived about 1:55 p.m., they found the vehicle had rolled over, and its driver had been ejected from the vehicle. The woman was identified by the Associated Press as Mary F. Strunks, of Harrison.
The accident remains under investigation.
Prosecutor charged with attempted murder
AKRON, Ohio -- A Cuyahoga County prosecutor was charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting his girlfriend after an argument, police said.
Ralph T. Cushion Jr., 40, of Avon, also was charged with having a weapon while intoxicated.
He allegedly shot Diana Woods, 35, of Cleveland, in Springfield Township Saturday, said Springfield police Capt. David Hoover. The two had been arguing while parked in a car, and he allegedly shot her when she tried to leave,Capt. Hoover said. She was in serious condition Sunday at Akron City Hospital with injuries to her arm, hip and buttocks.
