WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

Good Samaritan Injured by Passing Car

North Olmsted Police are looking for help in identifying a driver who injured a 70-year old good Samaritan who had come out to assist another driver who hit a telephone pole in front of his house.

“We need your help!!!” report N.O. Police. “Sunday night at 6:40pm we had two accidents on Clague Rd. south of Lorain Rd. The first accident crashed into a telephone pole, knocking power out along the street. A 70 year-old neighbor heard the car crash into the pole and came from his house with a flashlight to assist. As the neighbor approached the scene, he was struck by a dark red or maroon Hummer. The Hummer then fled the scene of the accident without stopping.

“Our 70 year-old good samaritan ended up with multiple injuries from being struck head on by the vehicle. The driver of the Hummer should obviously know that they hit someone. We need your help in finding the vehicle since they were unable to do the right thing. If you are the driver, this is your chance to contact us and take responsibility for your actions. The rest of you, if you see a red/maroon Hummer with front end damage, or if you witnessed the accident on Sunday, please call Officer Kopronica at the North Olmsted Police Department so that we can find the person that struck our 70-year-old resident!!!” Please phone (440) 777-3535

High Driver Hits Two Police Cars

On 1/9/21 at approx.8AM Westlake Police received a call from the BP gas station at Columbia and Center Ridge Rds concerning a male who was passed out in a vehicle at the pumps for about 20 minutes. When officers woke the man up he refused to exit his vehicle and eventually struck the bumpers of 2 police cruisers as he tried to drive away from the scene. Officers broke a vehicle window and dragged the 39yo Lorain resident out of the car. He was arrested. Officers also found a loaded firearm in the vehicle which had been reported stolen out of Cleveland. The driver was charged with felony OVI as this was his 4th OVI arrest since 2012 and he tested over the legal limit by breath. He was also charged with failure to comply with police officers and receiving stolen property.

Pinball Fraud

On 1/3/20 at about 12:49PM a citizen came to the WPD to report that he was the victim of a fraud. The male had found a pinball machine online and had contacted the online company to purchase it. After using the application Venmo to send almost $3000 to the company, he lost all contact. It appears that the web site was a scam. Investigators are following up.

Ace Hardware Shoplifter

On 1/2/20 at approx. 3:00PM an employee of Ace Hardware on Detroit Rd called to report that a male had just run out of the store without paying for several power tools. The white male subject was described as being about 5’11” with blue eyes and red hair. He made off in an older red sedan with a black top and an unknown temporary tag. The Milwaukee tools were valued at over $500.

If anyone recognizes the masked subject wearing an Old Navy sweatshirt in the attached surveillance photo you are asked to call the Westlake Police Department non-emergency phone number at 440-871-3311. You may remain anonymous.

One That Got Away!

Thieves looking for unlocked cars continues to plague the west shorel.

During the overnight hours of Jan. 5-6, several vehicles in residential driveways were entered. Suspect(s) were looking for unlocked vehicles and were able to find some easy targets.

Vehicles on Taylors Mill Turn, Settlers Reserve Oval, Halls Carriage and Berringer Run were entered. Missing items included wallets, an expensive watch and credit cards.

A night shift officer on patrol noticed a suspicious vehicle in the Primrose development during these same hours. When he attempted to stop it for a traffic violation, the red SUV took off S/B into North Olmsted. The pursuit was called off quickly for safety reasons. Investigators discovered the vehicle had been stolen out of someone’s driveway in Avon Lake on Jan 5. It is believed that the thefts and the stolen vehicle were related.