An 18-year-old Sycamore Township man was indicted Tuesday for attempted murder and felonious assault in an incidentin which a man found lying in the road June 23 was found to have been beaten and run over.

        Prosecutors said Ray Enfinger, of the 7800 block of School Road, deliberately ran his car over Timothy Mills, 38, of the 7800 block of Jessie's Way, in Hamilton.

        Mr. Mills had been a passenger in Mr. Enfinger's car when Mr. Enfinger got angry, apparently after Mr. Mills vomited, authorities said.

        Mr. Mills was found in the street at 12062 First Ave., in Sycamore Township. He was badly beaten and it was later determined he had tire marks on his chest.

        A University Hospital spokeswoman would not release his condition.
       

Man charged with robbing bank 3 times

        A 32-year-old man was charged Tuesday with robbing the same Provident Bank branch in Colerain Township three times in 16 months — twice during the past week.

FIRE RESCUE: North College Hill firefighters (from left) Tim Stevens, Richard Henninger, Lt. Maryanne Henninger and Colerain Township firefighter Don Patterson attend to a Great Dane rescued from a house fire on Dallas Avenue. An adult and two children were treated for smoke inhalation. Damage is estimated at $65,000. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        Michael Waller, no known address, turned himself in to the Hamilton County Justice Center Tuesday stating he had been involved in a bank robbery, said Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr.

        Through the use of bank video and latent fingerprint examination, sheriff's department investigators concluded Mr. Waller was responsible for the three robberies.

        He is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of robbery, the sheriff's department said.
       

2 men could face charges in homicides

        HAMILTON — Court action is proceeding in two unrelated but similar Butler County homicide cases.

        Gus Bealer, 46, had been scheduled for a hearing Monday but was rescheduled to appear Friday in Hamilton Municipal Court. He is being detained in the county jail in connection with the June 22 baseball-bat beating of his girlfriend, Cheryl Hahn.

        In another slaying, a grand jury will decide whether to indict Steve K. Wilson, 28.

        He is accused in the June 24 shooting death of his wife, Bambi, 31.

        Middletown Municipal Judge Mark W. Wall found sufficient evidence to send the case to the grand jury after a hearing Monday.
       

16-year-old's death ruled an accident

        DAYTON, Ohio — The Montgomery County Coroner's Office has ruled the death of a Madison Township teen an accident.

        Dustin Fisher, 16, was pronounced dead at Miami Valley Hospital on Friday after he reportedly jumped from a moving vehicle.

        He died of head injuries, a Montgomery County coroner's spokeswoman said.
       

Woman gets 4 years for embezzlement

        A federal judge sentenced a Columbia Township woman to four years in prison for embezzling $1 million from a former employer.

        Linda J. Cline, 38, pleaded guilty in February to bank fraud after embezzling the money from the Acordia/Rauh Insurance Agency in Cincinnati, where she worked as a bookkeeper.

        Ms. Cline's sentence will be served consecutively with a state sentence she is serving for violating probation from an earlier embezzlement conviction involving a previous employer.

        Judge Susan Dlott also ordered Ms. Cline on Monday to pay restitution to Acordia/Rauh.

        Ms. Cline admitted to defrauding two Cincinnati banks by changing checks payable to Acordia/Rauh to include her name and depositing them into personal accounts.
       

Substance abuse program starts soon

        LEBANON — Warren County Juvenile Court will begin an intensive substance abuse program next week.

        Eight to 10 children will be enrolled at a time, Judge Mike Powell said. They will have to take drug tests and meet weekly with a magistrate.

        It's a precursor to a juvenile drug court, which Judge Powell hopes to start within a year.

        Almost half the children admitted to the Juvenile Detention Center in 2000 tested positive for drugs, the judge said, and the numbers are only slightly lower so far this year.
       

Jury picks start; man facing murder charge

        WOOSTER, Ohio — Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of a man charged with killing his first wife and suspected in the disappearance of his second wife.

        Opening statements are set for Friday for the trial of John D. Smith III, who could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of aggravated murder in the 1974 death of Janice Hartman Smith. She disappeared from her Doylestown home five days after their divorce.

        Her remains weren't identified until last year.

        Mr. Smith's trial in Wayne County Common Pleas Court is expected to last about three weeks. Judge Mark K. Wiest met Monday with prosecutors and defense attorneys.

        Mr. Smith also is being investigated in the death of his second wife, Betty Fran (Gladden) Smith. She vanished in 1991 while recovering from a broken hip. Her body has never been found.

        A New Jersey detective investigating the second disappearance asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to reopen the case.
       

Police chief cleared of theft, forgery

        SANDUSKY, Ohio — For the second time in three months, a jury acquitted a suburban police chief of charges of stealing from his department's police-dog fund.

        The Erie County jury on Monday acquitted Perkins Township Police Chief Tim McClung on felony counts of theft in office and forgery. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on 28 other counts.

        In April, a jury cleared Mr. McClung on two counts, but couldn't reach a decision on 38 counts.

        Special Prosecutor John Weglian said he was not sure if he would take the case to court for a third time.

        “There are expense factors to take into consideration,” he said. Mr. Weglian added he thought limiting the counts might make it easier for a jury to understand.

July 4 closings

    Postal service No mail delivery

    Library Closed

    Banks *Closed

    Trash collection
        • Cincinnati: No collection
        • Rumpke: Regular schedule
        • CFI: Regular schedule

    Metro Holiday schedule and fares

    Parking meters No coins required (Cincinnati)

    Courts Closed

    Government offices
        • Federal Closed
        • City and county Closed
        • State Closed

    Stock markets Closed

       
        *All in-store branches of Firstar and the Fifth Third branch at Concourse B at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport will be open.

       The Cincinnati Enquirer/

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