Steubenville Police

Bad break up: A city resident ended up in custody after a disturbance at his home, Saturday. Police report Lawrence Taylor, 38, 1237 Oak Grove Ave., was booked into the Jefferson County jail on a domestic violence charge. Taylor had told police they’d argued and insisted it never devolved into a physical altercation. His ex-wife said she’d been living out of state since they separated more than five months ago but she “comes in a few days every week so they can try to work things out,” but that day she’d only been there a few hours when they started arguing. She told police she tried to leave the residence but Taylor allegedly “followed her out to her vehicle and proceeded to take her cell phone and her purse and grabbed her by her collar” in a threatening manner to prevent her from leaving. She said she went back into the house “where (he) apparently observed a text message from her ex on her phone, which enraged him” and claims he “threw her on the floor and said he would kill her,” then let her off the floor while he called the ex-boyfriend from her phone and proceeded to argue with him. Police said the ex-boyfriend apparently began taunting Taylor, who allegedly threw her against the wall and began choking her. The ex-boyfriend was still on the line and called police to report the assault. Police said there were security cameras in the residence, but Taylor refused to let them review the footage. Police advised the woman to seek an order of protection.

Tools of the trade: Police attempting a traffic stop in the 2600 block of Sunset Boulevard said when the car pulled over, a man ignored their instructions and instead “immediately exited from the…passenger seat and went inside the residence,” Saturday. Police identified the driver, who was able to tell them who had been in the car with him, but when police had him call the passenger, someone in the house told him he’d already left through the back door. They reported “a car stereo on the floor in the back seat and headlamps in the front passenger compartment, along with “a suitcase full of copper and a pair of hedge-clipper style cutters in the back seat” and groceries rolling around in a shoebox. The driver claimed the items belonged to the passenger who’d fled.

Turn tale: A business owner said a customer became irate when he was “unable to find an item inside the store,” Saturday. He said the man “began yelling profanities and began to ‘chest bump’ him,” police report. When the owner said he was calling police the man left.

Dumped out: A man asked police to accompany him while he gathered his belongings from an apartment in the 700 block of North Seventh Street, Saturday. Police said when they got there “his belongings were (already) on the floor outside the apartment.”

Define normal: An individual in the 400 block of South Sixth Street reported seeing “an intoxicated male laying on the ground” and said he “stumbled away” as he approached, Saturday. Police said the man he’d described was “walking normally and didn’t seem intoxicated” when they caught up with him.”

Caught in the act: A woman fled Wal-Mart after employees confronted her as she tried to leave the store without paying for all of the items in her order, Saturday. The woman had been skip-scanning and stacking items one on top of the other and scanning only the bottom item, police said. When they tried to stop her the woman fled, leaving behind merchandise valued at roughly $80. Information was forwarded to the prosecutor for charges.

Playing dumb: An altercation and a hit-and-run accident were spotted on city cameras in the parking lot opposite Club 106, Sunday. Police said a black Ford F-150 leaving the scene struck the front bumper of another vehicle parked in the lot. Police said a piece of the parked car’s bumper was torn off, but the owner insisted he “did not know who was in the truck” nor did he want a police report filed. Police said he did not wish to cooperate, and, since it happened on private property, they left.

Needed help: Police said an elderly Euclid Avenue resident needed assistance with a frozen pipe, Monday. She said the pipe broke “and her house was flooding.” They shut the water off for the woman.

Cited: Rudolphus Strawder 57, 718 Oakmont Ave., Steubenville, driving under suspension and expired plates; Paul W. Croskey, 74 Evergreen Terrace, Apt. 3, Wintersville, speeding.