Inmate's family awarded $437,500

Hamilton County is paying $437,500 to the family of a Norwood woman who was badly injured in a crash en route to prison in 2000.

Sheriff's Deputy Timothy Moss was driving a van with a dozen female inmates when he ran a red light and hit a truck in heavy morning fog near London, Ohio.

Lois Hamilton, 54, had been headed to the Ohio State Reformatory for Women in Marysville to serve a six-month sentence for trafficking in marijuana. She and several other women ended up in a hospital.

Hamilton died in March 2002 - because of her injuries, according to the lawsuit filed in October by her son, William Hamilton III.

"I've really missed her," said Lois Hamilton's mother, Velma Britvec of Norwood.

Moss, 38, a 13-year veteran with no other accidents on his record, remains at the sheriff's department. He no longer transports prisoners, spokesman Steve Barnett said - now he is a detective in the department's fugitive and warrants section.

Man arrested in fatal Greenhills stabbing

GREENHILLS - A man wanted in connection with the May 25 stabbing death of another man at a party in Greenhills was arrested early Wednesday and charged with murder.

Keith L. Lomax, whose last known address was in Roselawn, was arrested by Greenhills police at 12:30 a.m. and charged with murder in the death of 24-year-old Robert Christian.

Police said Lomax and the victim were involved in an altercation at a party in an apartment on Andover Road, and Lomax allegedly stabbed the victim several times.

Christian was taken to Mercy Hospital - Fairfield, where he was pronounced dead of multiple stab wounds.

Father charged with child endangering

A 25-year-old Mount Airy man was arrested Wednesday and charged with endangering children after doctors treated his infant daughter for swelling of the brain.

Mecello Farrarwas being held Wednesday night on a $5,000 bond.

Cincinnati police said the infant was brought to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Tuesday because she was vomiting and having seizures. Doctors determined the injury had been caused by impact or shaking, police said. The infant also had bruises on her face.

Police said Farrar admitted to investigators that he was stressed out while watching his daughter and hit her in the head with his hand in an attempt to get her to stop crying.

Witnesses: Victim stood up in coaster

SANTA CLAUS, Ind. - Witnesses saw a woman "virtually standing up" while riding a roller coaster at Holiday World amusement park moments before she fell to her death, investigators said.

Authorities had already said they believed the death of Tamar Fellner of New York City was an accident, and the Spencer County coroner's office officially ruled the death an accident Tuesday.

Fellner, 32, was at Holiday World Saturday night when she fell from The Raven.

. A preliminary investigation showed Fellner's seat belt and lap bar were buckled and locked when she started the ride.

Witnesses also said that just before the accident a person matching Fellner's description "was seen in the last car of the roller coaster virtually standing up while the ride was in progress," the county prosecutor said.

Emergency cell phones available

Cincinnati residents who are at least 50 years old are eligible to receive a free cellular phone programmed to dial 911 only at the Madisonville Recreation Center today.

Councilman Chris Monzel, who is coordinating the distribution, said the cell phones are intended to make senior citizens feel safer in their neighborhoods.

About 300 cell phones are available. The distribution will be 1-4 p.m. at 5320 Stewart Road, Madisonville.

Last chance to tour Fernald plant

Today is the deadline to sign up for the last public tour of Fernald, the former uranium processing plant in Crosby Township.

The last public tour is Tuesday, and more than 400 people have signed up for the event, which features a free cookout. Tours are free and will start at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The $4.5 billion cleanup of Fernald is heading toward a 2006 completion. But the tours will end after next week because most of the structures within the 1,000-acre site will be torn down after this year. .

To reserve a spot on the tour, call Jeannie Foster at 648-5883.

- Compiled from staff and wire reports