Thursday, August 26, 1999
TRISTATE DIGEST
Fuel spill, crash close Interstate 75
A truck spilled about 100 gallons of diesel fuel near downtown Wednesday morning, causing a minor accident and snarling traffic for hours.
It happened about 10:30 a.m., when Calvin Semenyk, 48, of Sarnia, Ontario, was heading north on the Brent Spence Bridge in a tractor-trailer rig owned by Glen Deyer Freight Systems of London, Ontario.
He noticed one of his fuel tanks had developed a leak, and it ruptured, spilling fuel along Interstate 75.
Jeffery Ruehl, 36, of Erlanger lost control of his car as he drove through the spill. He hit a guardrail but was not injured.
The Cincinnati Fire Division contained the spill, which posed no health or environmental hazard, police Sgt. Bill Coombs said.
Mr. Semenyk was not cited.
Traffic was diverted from I-75 northbound onto I-71 (Fort Washington Way), River Road and the Fifth Street exit to downtown.
Jurors tour woods where girl's body found
The jurors who will decide the fate of Ralph Lynch gathered Wednesday in the woods where police found the body of a girl he is accused of killing.
Mr. Lynch, 48, is charged with raping and murdering 6-year-old Mary Jennifer Love in his Colerain Township apartment on June 24, 1998. Prosecutors say Mr. Lynch, who initially helped search for the missing girl, confessed a week later to killing her and led police to her body. Her remains were found rolled up in a carpet in a wooded area off Breezy Acres Drive.
The jury viewed the scene Wednesday so they would be familiar with it before hearing testimony in the case.
The trial began Monday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court and is to continue today with opening statements. If convicted, Mr. Lynch could face the death penalty.
Ex-teacher sentenced for sex with student
A former Oak Hills High School teacher was sentenced to 30 days in jail Wednesday for having a sexual relationship with one of his female students.
William Stergiopoulos received the sentence after Juvenile Court Judge Sylvia Hendon convicted him of three counts of tending to cause the delinquency of a minor.
Mr. Stergiopoulos, who is retired from Oak Hills, also must pay a $1,500 fine and give up his license to teach.
Prosecutors said the relationship began several years ago when the girl was 15. They said it continued throughout high school.
The girl, who is not being named, is now a college student.
Erasing tire chalk treads on parking limit
MEDINA, Ohio — A man has been charged with wiping off chalk marks used to enforce two-hour parking limits.
Police say Jason Simpson, 20, used his sneaker last week to wipe the marks off the tires of two cars, including his boss' Jaguar. A downtown merchant spotted him, police say.
Mr. Simpson pleaded innocent to the misdemeanor of obstructing official business, which is punishable by up to three months in jail and a $750 fine.
Cars are permitted to park free for two hours around the picturesque square in this suburban Cleveland community.
Violators risk a $6 ticket. Officers monitor parking spots by marking tires with chalk to keep track of cars parked overtime.
Kettering lets coyotes have free range for now
KETTERING, Ohio — Coyotes wandering around this Dayton suburb have won a reprieve.
City Manager Steve Husemann told City Council on Tuesday night that the best course is further public education on how to co-exist with coyotes, not to trap and destroy them. But Mr. Husemann said trapping the coyotes might still occur if the education effort is ineffective.
He said as many as six coyotes have been spotted roaming neighborhoods, worrying residents.
Animal-rights activists have opposed trapping the animals. They say the coyotes haven't injured anyone, have damaged no property and will probably move out of Kettering in the fall.
Fearful witness in trial of gang member killed
CANTON, Ohio — A man who feared retribution for testifying against a gang member has been killed.
Dallas T. Green, 19, of Canton was shot three times early Tuesday while standing outside a car. No arrests have been made.
Mr. Green, who was beaten Nov. 29, testified against Victwan Demell Dorsey in an assault trial last week. Mr. Dorsey, 25, was convicted and sentenced to six months in jail for the attack, which occurred after Mr. Green was spotted with Mr. Dorsey's ex-girlfriend.
Mr. Dorsey has been in jail since June 6, when his bond was revoked.
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Nine hospitals drop Medicare HMO
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New world opens for students
Sea of friends mourn Ross teens
Lawsuit charges abuse of teen inmate
Will GOP's bite be as big as its bark?
Pilfered lawn duck at-large
'Resource Guide' offers breast cancer network
Who killed King Tut? 'Mr. Mummy' might know
$214,000 goes for rec projects
County lags 200 years on some paperwork
GET TO IT
Girl who wants to be vet saves 6 pups trapped in pipe
Judge rules city may raze building
Man found dead in Over-the-Rhine
Mayor's court now magistrate's
Monroe council approves 2 officials
NKU, Sparks honor each other
Payroll change upsets workers
Police looking for witnesses to fatal crash
Prisoner's beard-cutting case headed to trial
Rain charging reservoirs, but water bans unaffected
Residents weigh in on bridge's future
Skipped-paycheck plan upsets workers
Slain woman's family sues store where she worked
Theater land offered for roomier library
TRISTATE DIGEST
Upscale seniors' residence proposed
Villa Hills eliminates administrator job
Weapons unlikely to be burned
Zoning chief latest to quit development department
