News Briefs from July 22, 2008

Herald staff

July 21, 2008 09:24 pm

— Sharon man charged after last of 3 incidents
SHARON — A Sharon man faces charges after he threatened a hospital security guard and used racial slurs against him early Sunday morning, police said.
Sean P. Bennett, 24, of 621 S. Irvine Ave., was charged with ethnic intimidation, terroristic threats, harassment and disorderly conduct after the last of three incidents police were called for Sunday morning involving him, police said.
Police were called at 1:50 a.m. for a fight inside the Maennerchor Club on South Dock Street, where they found Bennett outside, police said.
Police let Bennett walk home, since he was close by, but were called at 2:17 a.m. for a man about a block away with a possible broken leg, police said.
When they arrived, they found Bennett, who was belligerent and aggressive with police. He was taken to the hospital at Sharon Regional Health System by ambulance, police said.
At 3:06 a.m. police were called to the hospital, where an unruly Bennett had been discharged. A security guard said they’d told Bennett to leave and Bennett yelled obscenities at the guard in the parking lot, police said.
Police said Bennett repeatedly used a racial slur against the security guard, threatened to assault him and said that he knew where the man’s family was and “they’d be dead.”
When police arrived, Bennett was again uncooperative and police had to electronically shock him to subdue him, police said. For that, Bennett threatened to sue police, police said.
Robbers hit McQuaid’s, a frequent target, again
FARRELL — Two men wearing ski masks, one of whom had a gun, robbed McQuaid’s Sunoco, 1050 Sharon-New Castle Road, Farrell, at 10:41 p.m. Sunday.
Southwest Mercer County Regional Police said the men entered the store and ordered the clerk to empty the cash register. One of the men was holding a small semi-automatic pistol, police said.
The men ran to a parked vehicle on Norris Avenue and sped away, police said.
One of the men is black, 6-feet tall, with a stocky build who wore a red shirt and a black nylon under the ski mask. The other is a white male, 6-feet tall, who wore dark clothing, police said.
The store has been robbed cat least a half dozen times over the last two years, according to Herald files.
Intended to sell gun but had it stolen, man says
SHARON — A Hermitage man who went to Sharon Friday night to sell a gun ended up having it stolen from him, police said.
The 22-year-old went to the Sharon police station at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and reported that his car was stopped about 10 p.m. Friday on Mesabi Street, police said.
The man said eight people, one with a baseball bat, forced him out of his car and found and took a gun that he had, police said.
Then the man changed his story and said he’d gone there to sell the gun, but one of the men “jumped” him and took it without paying.
Police said no charges were being filed against the man as of Monday.
Man on bicycle beaten by several assailants
SHARON — A man on a bicycle was beaten up early Saturday morning outside a downtown Sharon apartment complex, police said.
Police said a 21-year-old man was riding around building G at Willow Village, Sterling Avenue, about 2:30 a.m. when he was jumped by several other men.
The man said he was approached by 8 to 10 men and one punched him in the face, police said. Several others also kicked and punched him and he told police he didn’t know why, police said.
The victim refused medical treatment.
Police found signs of a struggle and some of the man’s belongings at the scene.
Board awards five-year bus contract to STA
HERMITAGE — Hermitage School Board has agreed to a five-year contract with Student Transportation of America, the district’s primary bus contractor.
The new contract, which starts with the 2009-10 school year, and the current contract give the district a two-year rate freeze. Beginning in 2010-11, the district will pay 2 percent more each year.
The district paid STA about $735,000 this year, with the state reimbursing the district about 35 percent, said Business Manager Monique Barber.
The contract calls for STA to buy a new bus each year; have six, one-hour safety meetings with drivers each year; and mount video-only digital cameras on board. Recording audio would violate the state’s wiretapping law, said solicitor Roger R. Shaffer Jr.