Steubenville Police

Task force raid: Two people are facing felony drug charges after the Jefferson County Drug Task Force raided a residence at 423 N. Seventh St., Steubenville, Friday. Task Force detectives said Terrence L. Toson, 54, address not listed, was charged with two counts of trafficking drugs and Brian C. Digman, 49, 423 N. Seventh St., was charged with possession of fentanyl. Fentanyl, crack and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia were allegedly found in the home, detectives said. Also taken into custody at the residence were Tiah A. Merritt, 34, 256 Jewett Road, probation violation, while Roman B. Longo, 39, also of 256 Jewett Road, Jodi L. Petros, 54, 429 Cove Road, Weirton, and Digman were each served with warrants for failing to appear in court.

Upset: A Mingo Junction woman was booked into the county jail after police were told “an intoxicated female” was allegedly shouting obscenities and hitting a pair of health care professionals working in the Trinity Medical Center West emergency department, Saturday. The woman, identified as Leah LeMasters, 30, 233 Hallock Ave., was allegedly “shouting obscenities at the staff and being generally disruptive and disorderly” and was “clearly highly intoxicated,” police reported, adding she was transported to the hospital after a fall at her home. Employees told police LeMasters was calm when she first arrived “but quickly became enraged and demanded to be taken” to another hospital and when they told her they couldn’t let her leave because she was being evaluated for a possible concussion she allegedly “began to spit, bite, kick and swing” at the medical staff. LeMasters was booked into the county jail on two counts of assault.

Unhappy neighbors: A city resident was taken into custody after he allegedly cursed and yelled at neighbors repeatedly, despite having been warned he needed to stop, Friday. Police said Jared Drennen, 34, 1109 Hillary Square, was charged with disorderly conduct by intoxication after another neighbor asked them to return to the street to calm him down. When they came to the location the first time, police said Drennan blamed the disturbance on neighbors began (yelling) at him for ongoing issues with (his) dogs and told police he “only began to yell back because he was defending himself and his dogs.” They report Drennen had “slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol” on his breath so they told him he needed to stay inside his home or he’d be charged. A neighbor told police he heard a commotion and discovered Drennen yelling and cursing at people down the street and when he saw him, started yelling and cursing at him as well. They had to return later because another neighbor said when she got home, he allegedly began to yell and curse at her, calling her inappropriate names.” She told police she has video of the incident. Police noted that when they took Drennan into custody, he had a “deep gash” on his arm that he said was from one of his dogs biting him.

Pattern behavior: A city resident showed police a typewritten letter that said she “should check around the house because (her ex) is watching her and can see everything she does,” Saturday. She has an order of protection against the ex, but said his former wife “experienced similar, stalking-like behavior after their divorce” and was concerned.

Unhappy ex: A North Sixth Street resident said he and his girlfriend are being harassed by her ex, Friday. He said the ex has been following them around and told police he was walking down North Seventh Street and the ex “even tried to cut him off several times, preventing him from going any further down the street” and they ended up “having words.” He said the problems started when the other man, with whom he works, found out he was dating his ex. Police told the ex he needs to leave the couple alone

Elbowed out: A North Fourth Street resident wanted to report elder abuse, Friday. The woman told police she’s “been having issues with her boyfriend” recently, complaining he’s been “causing injuries to her while they are asleep and (said) her back has been hurting as if he kneed her in the back.” She said on more than one occasion he’s “rolled over onto her and she had to wake him up to get him to move.” Police asked her if he might have a sleep disorder, which she said is a possibility. Police told her they’d file a report and the two of them “should stop sleeping in bed together” if she has concerns.

Theft alleged: Employees at Wal-Mart allege they watched a woman “stacking items” on top of each other and only scanning the bottom one as well as using cheaper price tags to scan the items in her cart before trying to leave the store, Friday. Police said Shirley A. Martaus, 60, 508 N. Fourth St., Apt. C, Toronto, told them she was “currently unemployed and needed groceries,” but report she had 28 items valued at just over $266 in her cart, including clothing and general merchandise along with food items. Martaus was charged with petit theft, police said.

Driver cited after mishap: A man who allegedly told police another motorist caused a two-car collision by running the light at Adams and South Fourth streets ended up being cited himself, Friday. Police report Stephen Stein, no age or address listed, was cited for failure to yield after they watched footage of the mishap that showed the other driver had the right-of-way. Stein also was cited for having no operator’s license after they discovered he only had an I.D. card, police said.

Discounted: A caller reported a man choking his female companion in the 800 block of Rosswell Avenue, Sunday. Police said a couple sitting on the front porch “both advised that no physical altercation had occurred.”

Strange entrance: Someone reported seeing juveniles trying to get into an apartment in the 800 block of Market Street through a window, Sunday. Police didn’t find anyone near the window but a few minutes later found three kids hiding behind the veterinary hospital. The kids told police they were “attempting to visit their girlfriends.” Police took the kids home and spoke with the parents of two of them.

Complaining: Police were told there was a “loud radio at a college party” in the 900 block of Majestic Circle, Friday. Upon arriving, police said they found “a small group of people in a back yard, sitting outside talking.” There were no radio and no party, police said, nor was anyone being “excessively loud.”

Drove off: A woman in the 100 block of Teresa Drive said she woke up to find her 1998 blue Ford Mustang missing, Friday. She told police she left the keys in the unlocked vehicle,

Problem behavior: A woman in the 200 block of South Fourth Street (rear) reported being threatened by another female she knows only as “Crystal,” Thursday. She said the woman told her she was going to “beat her … head in.”

Drugs: An apparent overdose reported near the 1300 block of Cardinal Avenue resulted in a homeless man’s arrest, Thursday. Police charged Josh Matuska, 40, no fixed address, with attempted drug abuse after he was found unresponsive on the Beatty Park trail. When police arrived, Steubenville firefighters had resuscitated the male with Narcan and were taking him to the hospital for treatment. Matuska had previously been issued two drug treatment forms and no longer qualified for immunity.

Ongoing issues: A woman in the midst of a contentious divorce showed up a at a West Adams Street location with a court order, but the court order to go inside was a day early, Wednesday. Her estranged husband has an order of protection from her, but police said she was the only person there. Since she had nothing in writing granting her permission to go inside, police told her to return Thursday at the scheduled time.

Cited, charged: A Weirton man was charged with possessing drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in the 900 block of North Seventh Street, Thursday. Police allegedly found a cigarette pack containing a glass pipe “commonly used to smoke crack” stuffed between the driver’s seat and center console. The driver, Robert F. Wolanski, 61, 120 Hardy St., was also cited for expired plates and driving under suspension.

Charged: A Toronto man who allegedly fled the Shoe Department with merchandise he hadn’t paid for was taken into custody on Lovers Lane and Sunset Boulevard, Wednesday. Treshaun G. Moor, 32, 1309 Franklin St., was charged with theft and served with a Toronto county court warrant alleging domestic violence, police said.

Someone reported a male “possibly passed out” in a red Chevy Equinox at the Seventh Street Plaza, Friday. Police said the man told them “he was okay and just fell asleep,” so he was advised to pull into a parking spot.

Booked: Paul H. Black, 40, 122 Spring Ave., Mingo Junction, strangulation warrant (Allegheny County, Pa., township, fugitive from justice, Saturday; Pachian Watkins, 29, 628 Columbus Ave., failure to appear;

Cited: Shane L. King, 49, 410 Wilson Place, Apt. 1, Steubenville, expired registration; Quantrell Haywood, 35, 815 Market St., Apt. C, Steubenville, expired plates and driving under suspension; Robert Emilyn Mark Sadler, 26, 817 Market St., Apt. G, Steubenville, driving under suspension; Alexandria M. Gillen, Smithfield, speeding; Jaden Shackleford, 18, 947 Sherman Ave., Steubenville, no operator’s license.

Jefferson County Sheriff

“Y” days: A Richmond resident said a neighbor had blocked his access to his garage, “threatened him multiple times,” was setting fireworks off in his backyard and ordered him off the property, Sept. 15. He said his neighbor was “heavily intoxicated” and told deputies he’s tired of the man’s threats and wanted something to be done. Deputies told the caller the dispute would have to be settled in court and would require a survey to verify the actual property line and suggested he try talking to the man when he wasn’t under the influence,” but the caller said that would be difficult since his neighbor “drinks seven days a week and any day that ends in ‘Y.'”

Bad decision: A Woodview Lane, Wintersville resident told deputies he fears for his life at the hands of his ex-girlfriend, Sept. 15. He told deputies they share a residence because they’d put it in both their names even though he’s paying the loan. He said deputies who previously tried to assist him suggested he get a lock for his door but told them when it was delivered, “she took it and refused to give it back.” He said he has video of her “damaging his room” during a previous incident.