Ohio court indefinitely suspends law license of ex-judge

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended the law license of a former judge sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting his estranged wife inside a vehicle while their two young daughters sat in the back seat.

The court ruled unanimously Thursday that Lance Mason can only apply for reinstatement after meeting conditions including undergoing a mental health evaluation.

The court removed Mason from the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas bench in 2015 after he pleaded guilty to attempted felonious assault and domestic violence.

Authorities say Mason struck and bit his wife, Aisha, while driving with her and their daughters in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights in 2014.

Mason’s attorneys argued it was a one-time occurrence that happened when Mason was under considerable stress.

Large amount of fentanyl found during domestic violence call

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities say a large amount of suspected fentanyl has been seized after police responded to a domestic violence complaint spurred by a Christmas Eve marriage proposal rejection.

WSYX-TV reports Columbus police found 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of suspected fentanyl at a home Tuesday after a woman’s relatives reported she was being held captive.

Police say 28-year-old Alex Henize told officers he was upset after his offer of marriage was rejected. Police say Henize gave officers permission to search the home for a gun the woman said Henize had threatened to shoot her with.

Police say officers found three guns, $20,000 in cash and the suspected fentanyl. Henize was arrested and charged with felony drug possession.

Henize’s attorney declined to comment Thursday.

Cleveland police officer acquitted in fatal shooting fired

CLEVELAND (AP) — A Cleveland police officer acquitted of a misdemeanor charge in the 2015 fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager after a store break-in has been fired for violating the department’s use of force policy.

City officials said in a statement that 50-year-old Alan Buford was fired Thursday for using force “greater than necessary during the incident.”

Buford was acquitted by a judge of negligent homicide in July. Prosecutors said Buford shouldn’t have had his finger on the trigger of his service weapon as he and his partner tried to arrest 18-year-old Brandon Jones after the break-in.

Buford’s partner testified at trial the shooting wasn’t necessary.

Jones was black, as is Buford.

Steve Loomis, the outgoing president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Third body found near car submerged in canal near Lake Erie

OREGON, Ohio (AP) — A third body has been found in northwestern Ohio near a car that flipped over in a canal near the Lake Erie shoreline.

Police say the third victim was found Thursday after they were told that person had not been seen since the crash on Tuesday.

The identity of the third person hasn’t been released.

The State Highway Patrol has identified the other two victims as 41-year-old Joshua Cassady and 51-year-old Kimberly Cassady, both of Toledo.

Patrol Lt. Shaun Robinson says the car went off a narrow, ice-slicked road and down an embankment before ending up in the canal at a boat club near Toledo.

Robinson estimates that the car was in the water around 10 minutes before being discovered by a passer-by.

Police: Man fatally shot while robbing Ohio auto parts store

CINCINNATI (AP) — Authorities say a man has been fatally shot while trying to rob an auto parts store in Cincinnati.

Police were called to the store in the city’s Roselawn neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and found a man lying in the parking lot. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police say a preliminary investigation shows two armed men went into the store to rob it and that one of the men was shot by a person inside the store.

No additional information about the attempted robbery and shooting has been released.

Driver gets 18 months in prison for hitting 5 bicyclists

CLEVELAND (AP) — A driver who pleaded guilty to hitting five bicyclists in Cleveland has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Twenty-seven-year-old Rondell Dungy will also pay a fine and have his license suspended for 10 years.

Investigators say Dungy was drunk on June 3 when he hit the cyclists, critically injuring three of them. Prosecutors say some of them continue to suffer from lasting effects of the crash.

Dungy apologized at his sentencing hearing Wednesday.