Local News
UPDATE: Cops fear shootings will lead to more
FARRELL — A 17-year-old Youngstown teen who was charged in a Nov. 21 shooting was shot Thursday afternoon after an argument at 719 Hamilton Avenue, Farrell, Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Chief Riley Smoot said.
Thursday’s violence has police concerned about “spillover” incidents, Smoot said. Some of the principals involved in both shootings also were involved in a series of Dec. 28 fights at a Farrell basketball game, and are known as members of two local, rival street gangs, the Chedda Boyz and the Young Gunnaz.
“There will be increased patrols this weekend,” Smoot said.
Jha’lil Harrison, who turns 17 today, of Youngstown, was grazed on his left arm at about 4 p.m. Thursday after an argument between a “large group of youth” south of 719 Hamilton, police said. Another man, Sam Phillips, 21, whose address wasn’t released, was shot in his lower left arm, police said.
Phillips was treated at the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System, while Harrison was not treated, police said.
The shots were fired from just south of the house toward it, police said.
The alleged shooter, Darelle M. Coffey, 19, of 1432 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, was arrested at 11:47 a.m. Friday at 1120 Roemer Blvd., on charges of four counts of aggravated assault and six counts of reckless endangering, police said.
Harrison was arrested on a warrant for aggravated assault, discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, carrying a firearm without a license and conspiracy, stemming from a Nov. 21 shooting in the 600 block of Hamilton Avenue.
In that incident, Jaaron “Jake” Hartley, D’Andre Johnson and Terrelle Jackson were in the 1000 block of Sharon-New Castle Road, Farrell, when Harrison stuck his head out of a car and told them, “I got something for you,” then used two expletives in reference to them and drove away, police said.
Jackson drove the trio to Hartley’s home at 624 Hamilton Ave., Farrell, to take Hartley home when Harrison and Terry Dean pulled up, armed with handguns, police said.
Dean punched Jackson and Jackson knocked Dean unconscious, police said.
Harrison pulled out a gun and Hartley, Jackson and Johnson ran, police said. Hartley said he heard shots being fired as they ran.
Later, Hartley, Jackson and Johnson returned to Hartley’s home, which also was occupied by John Hartley and Lynette Hartley, police said.
Hartley looked outside and saw Harrison get out of his car and load a clip into an AK-47-style assault rifle, police said.
Hartley told everyone in the house to get down and eight to 15 shots were fired, some hitting the house, police said.
John Hartley said he was in bed upstairs when a bullet came through a window and hit a closet door, police said.
Harrison got back into the car and left, said police, who found four rifle rounds.
Coffey and Harrison were taken to Mercer County Jail, Harrison $100,000 bond and Coffey on $150,000 bond. They both face preliminary hearings Thursday before District Judge Ronald E. Antos, Farrell.
On Dec. 28, police dealt with a series of arguments and fights that started in the gymnasium and continued in the lobby and outside the school, police said. Hartley, Jackson, Coffey, Dean and Harrison were charged, although Harrison’s charges were dismissed.
Hartley, 20, was charged with aggravated and simple assault, disorderly conduct and obstructing administration of law for punching a policeman who was trying to break up a fight between Jackson and Harrison.
Charges are pending in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Jackson, 18, of 1430 Roemer, pleaded guilty Tuesday to four counts of disorderly conduct, while charges of simple assault and resisting arrest were withdrawn.
Coffey pleaded guilty Jan. 28 to simple assault and disorderly conduct for punching William Phillips and Jha’lil.
Dean, 19, of 209 George St., Farrell, pleaded guilty Feb. 11 to simple assault and disorderly conduct for struggling with police.
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Court nixes ruling man is sexually violent predator
State Superior Court has denied a local judge’s request to issue a precedential opinion in a rape case.
Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge John C. Reed had ruled that Chad S. Thompson, 24, formerly of Stoneboro, is a sexually violent predator, but Superior Court said in a 2-1 decision July 8 that an expert’s testimony was insufficient to back that declaration.
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Stacey wants to continue fight over razed home
Raymond Stacey has requests pending in three courts as he presses his long-running attempt to prosecute the city of Hermitage and those he believes are responsible for illegally demolishing his parents’ house.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Philadelphia, on April 29 quashed an appeal because Stacey did not file his argument brief and appendix of supporting documents.
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Burglars strike while residents sleep
Several Shenango Valley residents’ homes were broken into overnight Tuesday and Wednesday while they slept.
Two burglaries in Sharon involved people entering open windows.
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Commissioners formally move to raise sewer fees
Hermitage commissioners introduced an ordinance Wednesday to increase sanitary user fees.
Residents tapped into the Hermitage Municipal Authority lines now pay $95 a quarter. That rate will bump up to $105 a quarter on Jan. 1, under the proposed rate hike.
Two more hikes on Jan. 1, 2012, and Jan. 1, 2013, will result in the rates increasing 50 percent from the current fee. -
Water is on at Forrest Brooke
Water service has been restored at Forrest Brooke Manufactured Home Community after well problems left the 165-unit complex dry Tuesday.
A boil and conserve water advisory has been issued by the DEP and will remain in place until tests confirm the water is safe to drink, Forrest Brooke’s manager Pete Havens said.
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Storm damages trees, wires
Thunderstorms ripped through parts of Mercer and neighboring counties Wednesday night, downing trees and wires and keeping rescue workers on their toes.
A Mercer County 911 dispatcher shortly after 8 p.m. said they were busy with calls across the northern part of the county. He said there had been a few reports of trees falling on homes.
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City leaders open to talks
Sharon officials aren’t opposed to sitting down with their counterparts in Farrell to revisit the idea of combining the two struggling cities.
“It never costs a penny to talk and there’s no (idea) that’s not worth looking at,” Sharon councilman Ed Palanski said. “I think it would be foolish to oppose looking at the idea.”
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Murphy’s Law doesn’t faze regional planners
A complicated, two-day public meeting blitz in 32 counties ran headlong into Murphy’s Law in Mercer County on Tuesday.
The group Power of 32 are looking to re-write the regional map and create a grand, 15-year strategic economic plan for the 32 counties in four states that make up the Ohio River basin and greater Pittsburgh area.
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Forrest Brooke copes with water outage
Residents of Forrest Brooke Mobile Home Community in Jefferson and Lackawannock Townships woke up Tuesday morning to find they didn’t have any water.
Managers of the park could not be reached for comment, but residents said they were told they won’t get water service back for at least another month.
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City facing bleak financial reality
LaVon Saternow has been Farrell’s city manager since 1992. Shortly after she took the job, Sharon Steel, the city’s economic engine, officially closed down.
Since, the city has struggled to remain solvent and Mrs. Saternow said it is facing its worst financial crisis in her tenure.
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Court nixes ruling man is sexually violent predator
