In the News

Rash of teen shootings plague Lima

LIMA — As most teenagers anxiously await the last day of classes before summer break so they can stay up late talking to friends and do other fun things, a small but growing number of teens are waking up in a much different life each day.

Lima teen pleads guilty in killing at Meat City

LIMA — A 17 year old will face up to 14 years in prison when he is sentenced in July for killing a man.

Pandora woman pleads guilty to 2 bank robberies

LIMA — A woman who robbed the same bank twice pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of robbery.

May grand jury indictments for Allen County

An Allen County grand jury returned 14 public indictments this month. Those indicted and their charges are:

2 boys arrested in Lima shooting

LIMA — Two boys were arrested in connection with a shooting that occurred at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday in the 300 block of North Collett Street, according to a report from the Lima Police Department.

Joseph denied parole in 1990 killing of Bath High School student

LIMA — A man once sent to death row for killing a 16-year-old Bath High School student was denied parole again.

Stoneburner pleads guilty to robbery

LIMA — A Lima man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of robbery with a gun specification Tuesday in Allen County Common Pleas Court concerning an incident that occurred at One Stop Shop Marathon at 4170 N. West St. on Dec. 6.

Teen changes plea in double-fatal Elida crash

LIMA — The driver of the pickup truck involved in an accident that claimed the lives of two Elida students in August is no longer contesting the two counts of vehicular homicide that stemmed from that crash.

Lima man gets 14 years prison in meth bust

LIMA — A 37-year-old man was sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday for running a methamphetamine lab.

Allen County remembers fallen officers

LIMA — The National President of the Fraternal Order of Police told the crowd at a police memorial service Wednesday he understands the worry a parent of a police officer has every day his son leaves for work.

Driver pleads guilty in gas station robbery

LIMA – A woman who served as the getaway driver during the robbery of a gas station last year pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Perry student caught with gun

LIMA — A Perry High School student was taken into custody after school officials found a loaded handgun in his locker Tuesday.

Police: Drugs recovered in Lima search of home

LIMA — The West Central Ohio Crime Task Force executed a search warrant at 1033 Hughes Ave. They received assistance from the Lima Police Department SWAT team.

Lima Walgreens robbed of pills; suspects apprehended after auto accident

LIMA — Walgreens, 701 N. Cable Road, Lima, was robbed at 1:39 a.m. Wednesday, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.

LPD: Arrests don’t get much easier

LIMA — The arrest of two local males wanted on felony charges turned out to be a little easier than usual for the Lima Police Department Thursday.

Evans gets 11 years for killing man in 2001

LIMA — A man will spend 11 years in prison for shooting and killing a Lima business owner in 2001 and hiding out ever since.

Man captured after brief chase in Lima

LIMA — A 45-year-old man was arrested after leading police on a short chase this morning over a stolen vehicle.

Nine years and a lecture

LIMA — A convicted felon received a lecture from a judge Monday about young criminals with guns before receiving nine years prison.

Teen indicted over home robbery

LIMA — A teenager has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with a home invasion robbery.

Murder defendant allowed to kiss his child for first time

LIMA — It’s rare a defendant in a murder case leaves the courtroom smiling, but that is exactly what happened Thursday.

Allen County grand jury returns indictments

Three suspects in Lima murders arrested out of state

LIMA — Three of Lima’s most wanted men, accused of killing people in three separate homicides, were captured out of state in the past five days, the Lima Police Department announced today.

Police seek to arrest man on weapons charge

LIMA — A Lima man has an active warrant for his arrest after the execution of a search warrant at his residence at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

FBI searches pond for evidence from street gangs

LIMA — Divers from the FBI Underwater Evidence Recovery Team were in the water at Faurot Park on Wednesday conducting a search for evidence used in violent acts by street gangs.

James Everett’s memory lives on at Allen County Sheriff’s Office, village of Cairo

LIMA — The late James Everett may be gone forever, but his memory will live on at the department in which he dedicated more than 40 years of his life, and in the village he called home.

Family seeks to keep Bath teen killer in prison

LIMA — A man once sent to death row for killing a 16-year-old Bath High School student is up for parole again.

3 murder defendants waive hearings

LIMA — Three men charged in the killing of a man last week waived preliminary hearings Wednesday and had their cases sent to the grand jury.

2 Lima men arrested after bystander struck by bullet

LIMA — Two men not old enough to legally purchase firearms were involved in a gunfight Sunday that injured an innocent man inside his home, police reported.

Bad heroin in area? Spate of overdoses could spell trouble

LIMA — Four people dead in one week with the telltale signs of an overdose could mean a deadly batch of heroin possibly laced with something to increase its potency has made it to the

5th body in a week discovered in Lima

LIMA — A person was confirmed dead after a body was found outside near Elijah Parkway at about noon Saturday.

Person arrested in Lima stabbing

LIMA — The Lima Police Department was dispatched to a stabbing shortly after 7 p.m Sunday on the second floor at 760 E. Fourth St.

Task force conducts raids

LIMA — A woman was arrested this week during a drug bust at an Elida home.

Lima murder defendant wants statements tossed

Three men charged in Damere Oliphant homicide

LIMA — Three men have been charged in Monday’s shooting death of Damere Oliphant.

Man dies in shooting; nine brought in for questioning

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — Damere Oliphant, 20, of 1032 W. Spring Street, Lima was shot and killed and nine people were questioned after his body was found at a closed restaurant this morning.

Accused bank robber competent to stand trial

LIMA — A judge ruled Tuesday a woman accused of robbing the same bank twice was competent to stand trial.

Lima residents arrested for robbing Little Caesars

LIMA — Two people were arrested Tuesday after they robbed a Little Caesars pizza restaurant in Lima, according to a report from the Lima Police Department.

Alleged robbery at Little Ceasar’s on Calumet

LIMA — The Lima Police Department received a call at 3 p.m. of an alleged robbery at Little Caesar’s Pizza, 216 Calumet Ave., Lima.

Lima police investigate robbery at Huntington National Bank

LIMA — The Lima Police Department is investigating an alleged robbery at the Huntington National Bank, 631 W. Market St., Lima, this morning.

Lima Police Department investigating shooting of child

LIMA — A teenager was at St. Rita’s Medical Center on Saturday night recovering from a gunshot wound.

18 indicted by grand jury

The February grand jury returned 18 public indictments. Those indicted and their charges are:

Judge tosses some evidence in robbery case

LIMA — A request for the same brand of cigarettes during an interrogation with detectives a man charged with robbing a gas station is accused of taking cannot be used against him at trial, a judge ruled.

Seasoned prosecutor appointed to death penalty case

VAN WERT — The prosecution in the death penalty case against a man accused of killing a 15-month old boy just gained an experienced member.

Man enters plea in bar shooting

LIMA — One week after he was scheduled to enter a plea during an emotional hearing for family of his victim, Demonta Rogers pleaded guilty to a charge over the killing of a man last year outside a bar.

Robbery defendant wants statement tossed

LIMA — An attorney for a man charged with robbing a gas station said Tuesday his client invoked his right to an attorney during questioning and anything he said after that should be excluded from evidence.

Ross McWay’s murder trial set for April

LIMA — A man charged with aggravated murder in the killing of a woman just days after he was released from jail is scheduled to stand trial April 18.

Lima Police Department looking for robber of BP

LIMA — The Lima Police Department is requesting help in finding the man responsible for robbing the BP station at 2075 Allentown Road, Lima, with a knife at approximately 8:40 p.m. Sunday.

Teen pleas not guilty in double fatal

LIMA — The teenage driver of a pickup truck that crashed and killed two other Elida football players in August pleaded not guilty Thursday to two counts of vehicular homicide.

Lima man indicted with murder of girlfriend

LIMA — A man police said killed his girlfriend was indicted Thursday by the Allen County grand jury on murder and other charges.

Everett called ‘perfect deputy’

LIMA — Less than a day after the sudden death of Sheriff Jimmy Everett, his friends and co-workers remembered him Wednesday as the man behind the scenes who kept the ship running smooth and would drop everything to help anyone.

One man shot Tuesday morning in Lima

LIMA — An unidentified man was shot Tuesday morning in Lima’s north end, and a potential suspect is currently in Lima Police custody.

Store robbery defendants get trial dates

LIMA — A man and woman charged with robbing a store with a firearm were assigned trial dates Thursday.

McWay pleads not guilty to aggravated murder

LIMA — Ross McWay no longer was smiling as he pleaded not guilty Wednesday to aggravated murder, a charge that could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

Interim Allen County Sheriff Jim Everett Passes Away

LIMA — Less than a week into his appointment as interim Allen County sheriff, Jimmy Everett died Tuesday night.

Defense wants statements tossed in 15-year-old murder case

LIMA — A judge will review a video-recorded statement to determine whether the confession police said solved a 15-year-old murder case last year can remain in evidence.

Driver gets trial date in fatal crash

LIMA — A college student who crashed a car after drinking, killing his friend, is scheduled to stand trial June 6.

Lima man who fired shot outside bar gets 5 years prison

LIMA — A man who fired a gun at a car after his friend shot a man inside a bar last year was sent to prison for five years this morning.

McWay indicted on aggravated murder in woman’s death

LIMA — A man with a violent past who police said confessed to killing a second person was indicted on the charge of aggravated murder with a repeat violent offender specification.

Lima teen pleads guilty in bar shooting

LIMA — Moments before a jury was to hear closing arguments, a man charged in a shooting inside a downtown bar last year told the judge he would plead guilty to all charges.

LIMA — A prosecutor said Tuesday witnesses will prove Donovan Peoples shot a man inside a local bar last year.

Columbus Grove man faces aggravated vehicular assault indictment after allegedly running over woman

LIMA — A Columbus Grove man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that accuse him of striking a woman with his car while she crossed Spencerville Road on Thanksgiving Day.

Appellate court upholds conviction of drug dealer who said sheriff set him up to get out paying debt

LIMA — An appellate court upheld Monday the appeal by a convicted drug dealer who said Allen County Sheriff Sam Crish set him up to get out of paying a debt.

Bond set at $2.5 million for man charged with murder

LIMA — Bond was set at $2.5 million Friday for a man charged with murder in the slaying of a woman less than two days after he was released from jail following his acquittal on rape charges.

Man just released from jail after rape acquittal accused of murdering girlfriend

LIMA — A man with a violent past who was released from jail Friday after his acquittal on rape charges is back in custody as the chief suspect in the city’s first murder of the year over the weekend.

College student indicted on felony in fatal crash

LIMA — A college student who crashed his car after drinking, resulting in the death of his friend, has been indicted by the grand jury.

Lima records 8th homicide of the year

LIMA — A woman is dead and her live-in boyfriend in jail Thursday in what marked Lima’s 8th homicide of the year.

Teen charged in crash that killed 2 Elida football players

LIMA — The 16-year-old driver of a pickup truck that crashed and killed two other Elida football players in August was charged this week with two counts of vehicular homicide.

Man gets 15 years prison for robbing pizza delivery driver

LIMA — Cameron Holt Releford may only be 19 but a prosecutor described him Monday as a violent and dangerous man who fired a shot near a 16-year-old girl delivering pizzas while he robbed her.

Lima man dies in shooting

LIMA — The Lima Police Department is investigating a shooting that resulted in the death of a Lima man Friday evening.

Man arrested in Lima convenience store robberies

LIMA — Authorities arrested a man who later confessed to robbing several local convenience stores at knifepoint.

Case against Lima man accused of murdering girlfriend sent to grand jury

LIMA — The case against a Lima man accused of killing his live-in girlfriend has been sent to Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Police hunt burglars who stole Lima family’s Christmas presents

LIMA — Police are seeking the public’s help in finding the three criminals who broke into a house and stole a family’s Christmas presents today.

Teen killer changes self-defense plea

LIMA — Albert McDowell III faces up to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter with a gun in the shooting of Da’veon Petaway.

Lima man gets 30 years in prison on child-sex charges

LIMA — Ronald Payne was sentenced to 30 years in prison on rape and other charges by Judge David Cheney Monday in Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Lima Police Department seeks gas station robber

LIMA — The Lima Police Department was investigating a robbery that occurred at 12:50 p.m. Dec. 6 at H J Petroleum at 1505 St. Johns Ave.

Homicides hit 10-year high in Lima

LIMA – With less than a month to go in the year, police detectives are holding their breath as they remain busy handling seven homicide cases this year, a number that ties the most in the past decade.

Sheriff detectives looking for gas station robber

LIMA — Sheriff detectives are looking for the man who robbed a gas station Tuesday afternoon.

Man gets 18 years prison in heroin operation

LIMA — A second man charged following a huge heroin bust was sentenced to 18 years in prison Friday after pleading no contest to drug charges.

Payne sentencing on rape charges delayed

LIMA —Sentencing for Ronald Payne on Tuesday in Allen County Common Pleas Court was rescheduled to Dec. 12

Woman arrested in stabbing of another woman

LIMA — A 52-year-old woman was in custody Monday after an early morning stabbing.

Lima police seek 2 homicide suspects

LIMA — The Lima Police Department was asking the public to help track down two men who police believe may have committed a murder.

Man rejects plea deal in rape case

LIMA — A man who served 13 years in prison for his killing a man turned down a chance Tuesday to plead guilty to rape and receive 11 years in prison.

Wapakoneta man shot to death in Lima

LIMA — A Wapakoneta man is dead after being shot Monday evening.

Pair caught, arrested for Shawnee Township burglary

LIMA — Two burglary suspects are in custody in connection with a burglary that occurred between 5:45 and 6 p.m. Sunday on the 4100 block of Susan Lane in Shawnee Township.

Sargent fined in auctioneer case

LIMA — Donnie Sargent didn’t really have a good answer why he broke the law again, other than he wanted to keep his auctioneering business running.

Man indicted in 2001 homicide

LIMA — A man who recently walked into the Lima Police Department and confessed to a 15-year-old unsolved homicide was indicted this week by the grand jury.

Man shoots at deputies, kills himself on Lutz Road

LIMA — School buses and traffic were diverted from Lutz Road this morning due to an incident that is now over in which a man killed himself.

Teen’s murder trial pushed back a month

LIMA — The trial for a 17-year-old boy charged as an adult with murder in the killing of a man was pushed back for a month.

Lima man shot in hand at VFW late Saturday

LIMA — The Lima Police Department was seeking information on an incident late Saturday that left a man shot in the hand.

Lima man in critical after shooting Wednesday

LIMA — A shooting at 4 p.m. Wednesday left a Lima man in the intensive care unit at Lima Memorial Health System in critical condition.

October Allen County grand jury indictments

The Allen County grand jury returned 24 public indictments. Those indicted and their charges are:

Mom steps in, defendant keeps attorney

LIMA — Sometimes mother knows best.

Man pleads to child sex charges

LIMA — A 63-year-old man will face up to 39.5 years in prison when he is sentenced next month on rape and other charges

Case against woman accused of robbing bank sent to grand jury

LIMA — The case against a woman accused of robbing a bank was sent Wednesday to a grand jury for review.

Police seek 19-year-old man in Lima’s latest homicide

LIMA — Detectives were looking for a 19-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting over the weekend at a troubled bar.

Former mentor Turner gets 3 years prison for sex crime against child

LIMA — A man who served as a youth mentor in a local school district was sentenced to three years in prison today for a sex crime against a child.

2 men with illegal guns go to prison for shootings

LIMA — Two men with histories of violence were sentenced to prison Monday for shooting people with guns they illegally obtained.

Bail set at $500K for confessed killer

LIMA — David D. Evans did not speak and responded only with nods as Judge Tammie Hursh of Lima Municipal Court asked him if he understood his rights during a bond hearing in a murder case dating back to 2001.

Man changes plea in I-75 chase case

LIMA — A man who tried to outrun police officers on Interstate 75 during a crime spree in June pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges.

Rosedale Avenue stabbing appears to be self defense

LIMA — A stabbing on North Rosedale Avenue over the weekend appears to be a case of self defense, a detective said Tuesday.

Lima man critically wounded after being shot

LIMA — A 43-year-old Lima man is in critical condition after being shot in the late afternoon hours Sunday on the 700 block of Weadock Ave.

Cops issue warning after 8 heroin overdoses in 2 days in Allen County

LIMA — Eight overdoses in two days, all of which nearly killed the people, have put law enforcement on edge, warning of a dangerous batch of heroin that has made its way into Allen County.

Woman pleads over her role in high-speed chase on I-75

LIMA — A woman who was with her boyfriend when he tried to outrun state troopers in a car chase in June that saw them driving the wrong way on Interstate 75 pleaded guilty to a felony charge today.

Man charged in G-spot shooting

LIMA — A man sentenced to jail for assaulting a police officer after he became a suspect in a shooting at G-Spot bar has been charged in the shooting.

Victim named in Lima’s fourth homicide this year

LIMA — Police spent the last day looking for two men who detectives believe killed a 29-year- old man during a dispute.

Lima police investigate two shootings overnight

LIMA — Police are investigating two overnight shootings that appear to be unrelated.

2 indicted in high speed chase on I-75

LIMA — A Kentucky couple who tried to outrun state troopers in a chase that saw them driving the wrong way on Interstate 75 have been indicted.

Man with troubled past returns to prison

LIMA — A man who was the driver of a car that crashed and killed two girls in 2008 was sentenced to 30 months in prison Monday after receiving numerous chances to get his life together.

Lima home raid nets cocaine, heroin operation

LIMA — A raid at 617 Marion Ave. was carried out Thursday by the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.

Teen pleads not guilty to murder in Meat City killing

LIMA — A 16-year-old boy pleaded not guilty Monday to an amended indictment that includes murder over the killing of a man at Meat City earlier this year.

Man accused of child sex crimes gets new trial date

LIMA — A 62-year-old man facing life in prison on charges that accuse him of sex crimes against children was assigned a new trial date for Oct. 3.

Lima murder suspect indicted

LIMA — An 18-year-old man was indicted this week on aggravated murder and other charges over the killing of a man.

Lima shooting suspect turns himself in

LIMA — The Lima Police Department have located a suspect who was wanted for questioning concerning a shooting that took place at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Lima eastside Dollar General robber caught

LIMA — A Lima man was arrested for robbery after a reported incident at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Dollar General, 1330 Bellefontaine St.

Lima man sentenced for assaulting cops

Cameron Lott, 20, was sentenced to 130 days in jail on the charge of assault on a police officer.

Man injured in stabbing outside Lima bar

LIMA — A man was arrested and another man in the hospital after another stabbing in Lima.

Man arrested in June shooting

LIMA — Police arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the shooting of a man two weeks ago, a detective said this week.

Man arrested following robbery of pizza delivery person in Lima

Cameron Holt-Releford, 19, of Dayton, was taken into custody.

Lima man dies in overnight shooting at GSpot

LIMA — One man is dead and police investigators were busy Tuesday trying to find the killer after an overnight shooting at the GSpot bar on East North Street. Remeal Ingram, 26, of Lima, died Tuesday just hours after he was shot at the bar just after midnight. He was shot once, said Detective Steve Stechschulte of the Lima Police Department. No one was arrested as of late Tuesday although investigators continued to talk to witnesses. “We are cultivating very solid leads on reliable information with concrete suspects to support that but we’re not ready to release anything yet,” Stechschulte said.