Sunday, August 22, 1999
TRISTATE DIGEST
Three men charged with drug trafficking
Three men accused of planning to sell more than 500 grams of cocaine were arraigned Saturday morning in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.
Charged with drug trafficking were Mejia Jerbein, 42, of the 5300 block of Aster Park Drive, Hamilton; Nicholas Pena, 27, of the 2600 block of Kenilworth Court, Springfield Township; and Pedro Polanco, 32, from New York City.
Bond was set at $500,000 cash for each.
Regional Narcotics Unit officers arrested the three men, who had been under investigation, during a traffic stop about 8 p.m. Thursdaynear the intersection of Crestnoll Lane and Crestpoint Drive in Green Township.
Between 500 grams and 1,000 grams of cocaine was found in the car, according to court documents.
Truck accident closes southbound I-75
The southbound lanes of Interstate 75 were shut down for several hours Saturday morning while rescue squads extricated a Manchester, Ky., truck driver from his wrecked rig and hauled it off the road.
Melvin Collet, 45, was speeding and lost control of his tractor-trailer about 7:30 a.m. near the Harrison Avenue exit ramp, said Cincinnati Traffic Unit Sgt. Mike Zwick. The truck skidded at least 500 feet to the side of the road, then struck the bottom of the exit ramp embankment.
Mr. Collet fractured his leg and was treated at University Hospital, Sgt. Zwick said.
He was cited for reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
Jerry Lewis telethon needs volunteers
Jerry Lewis wants you.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association seeks volunteers to help with the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, Sept. 5-6. Among the jobs: answering phones, distributing posters, helping with mailings, transporting supplies.
For information, call the Cincinnati MDA office at (513) 231-2222.
Police officer hurt in struggle with suspect
A Cincinnati police officer was injured during a struggle Saturday night with a suspect in Avondale.
Officer Paul Graves was in good condition late Saturday night at University Hospital, according to a nursing supervisor.
About 8:40 p.m. Saturday, police were called to the 2700 block of Euclid Avenue. Officer Graves suffered a head injury during a struggle with a suspect.
No other information was available late Saturday on the suspect or the incident that led to the scuffle.
Two die in crash of experimental plane
KANSAS, Ohio — An experimental plane crashed into a cornfield less than 5 miles from a pri vate airstrip Saturday night, killing the two people on board, the State Highway Patrol said.
Pilot Emerson Klotz, 43, of Kansas, southeast of Toledo, and passenger Earl Sterling, 39, of Bradner, died at the scene when the plane crashed about 7:45 p.m., said Sgt. Gary Lewis.
It was a single-engine plane with about 54 horsepower that Mr. Klotz put together, Sgt. Lewis said.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and will begin investigating today, he said.
Wreck kills three, injures mother and baby
CAMBRIDGE, Ohio — Three people were killed and two others injured in a two-car accident that closed a section of Interstate 70 for five hours Friday night and Saturday morning, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
Killed were Richard Kopper, 19, of Vermilion; a passenger in his car, Jason Seth, 21, of Vermilion; and Joseph Peele, 38, of Chesapeake, Va., the patrol said.
Mr. Peele's wife, Wendy, 35, was in guarded condition Saturday in Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center in Cambridge. A daughter, Dorothy, six weeks, was in satisfactory condition in Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron. They were passengers in Mr. Peele's car, the patrol said.
The accident happened about 70 miles east of Columbus at 10:45 p.m. Friday in Cambridge Township, the patrol said.
Mr. Kopper was driving westbound on I-70 when he lost control of his car, went over the median and collided head-on with the Peele car, said Sgt. Brian Vierstra of the patrol.
Smoke from tire fire spreads across counties
SYCAMORE, Ohio — A fire at Ohio's largest tire dump sent smoke plumes across several counties Saturday and threatened to spread to more of the millions of tires at the site, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) said.
The Wyandot County sheriff's office said more than 200 firefighters from 19 departments in four counties fought the fire at Kirby's Tire Recycling for seven hours before containing it.
The fire caused no injuries. However, authorities advised people with respiratory problems in eastern Wyandot County and portions of Crawford, Seneca and Marion counties to stay inside with doors and windows closed.
Chemicals in the smoke from burning tires can pollute the air and can significantly threaten some health conditions, OEPA spokeswoman Beth Gianforcaro said.
Although it has been declared contained, the fire at the dump about 50 miles southeast of Toledo is expected to burn for several days, authorities said. Smoke has drifted as far as Columbus, 70 miles to the south.
Crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation were helping firefighters move tires away from the flames and create fire lanes for emergency response teams.
One vote, one judge, no choice
Slain robbery suspect had long record
Ohio justices clash with gusto
Recent Ohio Supreme Court cases
Who's who on the Ohio Supreme Court
Ross High students grapple with grief
Be prepared for gay scouts
Man's home is township's 'eyesore'
New area code means hassle
What's Your Opinion: Questions of fairness
Bell sets sights on Congress
Black Family Reunion proves educational as well as entertaining
Coptic Orthodox leader visits local congregation
Justin's families return to court
BENCHMARKS
Bauer's future carved in butter?
:Everyone's getting rich online except you and me
Instant message revolution is ahead
KKK's Cleveland rally causes little disruption
CAPITOL INSIDER
Theatre director stages non-stop work days in artful fashion
Workshops focus on politics, religion
Students help save the rhinos
NBC chief says families should be funny again
Filmmakers need extras for Madison, Ind., shots
GET TO IT
Mom's a fitness star
Organizers get ready for annual theater meeting
Sculpture finds home at Brighton Place
Drug tests grow popular with schools
Ex-Bengal near deal on support
Excess radiation found in worker's bones
Fans of tacky descend on Columbus
FDA hunts for E.coli source
Mag ads spur demand for fake furs
MainStrasse youths brighten neighborhood
N.Ky.'s official bloom not blooming enough, teacher says
Post Office gets new name, more space
Store gives toys to area law agencies
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