Portman, Mandel back Ohio GOP Rep. Renacci for US Senate
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci (reh-NAY’-see) has landed two key endorsements in his bid for U.S. Senate.
The Wadsworth Republican was backed Monday by GOP U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Ohio’s state treasurer, Josh Mandel (man-DEHL’). The Republican Mandel dropped out of the race Jan. 5 citing his wife’s health.
Renacci faces Cleveland businessman Mike Gibbons and Marysville family business owner Melissa Ackison for the Republican nomination. Ackison’s health insurance difficulties were featured by Republican President Donald Trump’s White House in its fight against the Affordable Care Act.
On Twitter, Portman praised Renacci’s “track record of success as a job creator and battle-tested conservative leader.”
Mandel said in a statement he’s convinced the fourth-term congressman is best situated to beat incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall and advance Trump’s agenda.
Man gets prison time for killing ex-fiancee’s young son
FINDLAY, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man convicted of killing his fiancee’s 2-year-old son has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving at least 17 years.
Twenty-nine-year-old Brent Houdeshell was sentenced last week after his earlier conviction on charges of murder, child endangerment and evidence-tampering in Hancock County, south of Toledo.
The Arlington man maintains his innocence and plans to appeal.
Houdeshell’s attorney argued that the boy, Breydon Ferrell, vomited in his crib and hurt himself after trying to get out. Attorney Adam Newman said Houdeshell bathed the toddler after he fell out of the crib and later found him unresponsive.
Prosecutors say Breydon’s injuries included a fractured skull, a broken leg and other internal injuries. A medical expert said bruises indicated the toddler’s face was slapped.
4-year-old killed, 6-year-old injured in interstate crash
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A 4-year-old boy was killed and a 6-year-old was critically injured when their vehicle was rear-ended while stopped in heavy traffic on an Ohio interstate.
Police say the boys were in the backseat of a van and were not wearing seat belts when the crash happened Sunday afternoon on Interstate 270 in Jackson Township in Franklin County. Investigators say they were ejected through the rear window when the vehicle was struck from behind.
Matthew Cremeans was pronounced dead at a hospital in Columbus. His brother, Danny Cremeans, remains in critical condition. Both boys are from New Lexington in eastern Ohio.
Police continue to investigate.
Boy’s shooting spurs questions about armed deputies in court
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio officer’s fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy during a scuffle outside a juvenile courtroom has left some people questioning whether such sheriff’s deputies should carry guns while monitoring that court.
The Columbus Dispatch reports the Jan. 17 shooting of Joseph Haynes prompted an online petition demanding that deputies stop carrying guns in Franklin County Juvenile Court.
An official from the local police union that represents deputies says taking away guns from trained officers would be a mistake.
Sheriff Dallas Baldwin declined to talk about whether court security measures are being reviewed, saying such discussion would be inappropriate until the shooting investigation is finished.
Court security by armed deputies is common practice, though not universal. Connecticut and Massachusetts don’t allow their court-employed security officers to carry guns in court.
Sheriff’s office: Gun used to shoot deputy is found in pond
LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say the gun used in a shooting that wounded a southwestern Ohio sheriff’s deputy has been found more than a year and a half later.
WCPO-TV reports that the rifle was recovered from a pond in Deerfield Township, about 20 miles northeast of downtown Cincinnati.
Sgt. John Smith of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that a civilian found the gun on private property.
The weapon was missing when officers arrested shooting suspect Mohammed Laghaoui after an hours-long manhunt in June 2016.
The now 21-year-old Laghaoui was sentenced to 36 years in prison for shooting and injuring his father and a Warren County deputy who responded to the domestic dispute.
Defense attorneys argued that Laghaoui should have been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Police: Gunman kills self after deadly shooting
MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio say a gunman apparently killed himself during a standoff with officers who were responding to report of a deadly shooting.
A woman called Massillon police late Saturday to report that her husband had been shot near a detached building at the rear of their home.
The homeowner, 33-year-old Dustin Woods, was taken to a hospital as police made contact with 73-year-old William McCullough, who was renting the detached building from Woods.
After several hours, police heard a single gunshot from inside the building. McCullough was found suffering from an apparently self-inflicted wound.
Both McCullough and Woods died of their injuries.
Police continue to investigate.
Crews to put up fencing where sandbag killed man in car
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Crews will begin putting up temporary fencing at an overpass in Ohio where a Michigan man was killed when a teenager tossed a sandbag onto the freeway.
Ohio’s Department of Transportation announced earlier this month that it now will require fencing at some overpass construction sites.
Workers on Monday are expected to close down a ramp on Interstate 75 in Toledo so that they can begin putting up the temporary fencing.
This past week, a 13-year-old boy acknowledged in court that he tossed the sandbag and pleaded guilty to murder and felonious assault charges in juvenile court in Toledo.
The boy was one of four teenagers accused of throwing rocks and sandbags.
One of the sandbags smashed through a car windshield and killed 22-year-old Marquise Byrd of Warren, Michigan, in December.
