WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

Multiple Warrants

On 3/5/26 at approx. 11AM, officers learned that a man with multiple warrants and a history of drug abuse arrests was staying at the WestSpring Inn on Sperry. The man was stopped for traffic violations on Sperry Dr after he left the motel in a vehicle The 51yo Cleveland man was driving but had a suspended license. He also exhibited signs of being under the influence of drugs. Investigation revealed that the man was in possession of a burnt metal smoking pipe that contained white residue. He refused field tests and was arrested for OVI. The suspect refused a chemical test at the jail. He was charged with OVI, driving under suspension and possession of drug paraphernalia. His Parma PD warrant was for past traffic violations.

Mental Health Alert

On 3/6/26 at about 8PM, WPD received a call from Berea PD about one of their residents. A friend of the man had contacted Berea PD and voiced concerns about the man’s mental health and his feelings of self harm. Berea PD learned that the man was staying at a “cheaper hotel in Westlake.” WPD officers checked the city’s motels and found the man staying at the Red Roof Inn on Clemens. Officers made contact with the Berea male who was willing to talk. After assuring that the man did not appear to be a current danger to himself or others, the officers left the man with phone numbers to call for help if needed.

Mystery Car

On 3/7/26 at approx. 9:15AM, a WPD officer discovered that a reportedly stolen Kia Rio was parked in the lot of the WestSpring Inn on Sperry Dr. Westlake dispatch sent a confirmation to Cleveland PD who had the vehicle entered in police databases as being stolen. Cleveland PD confirmed that the stolen vehicle entry was still valid. Westlake officers watched as a man and woman exited the motel and approached the vehicle. The couple was compliant with the officers instructions and explained that while the vehicle had been actually stolen, it had since been recovered by the family from a Cleveland PD impound lot. WPD officers confirmed the story with the registered owner of the car who agreed that her son was on scene at the motel. All were released from the scene. Cleveland PD was again advised to remove the vehicle from police databases.

Felony Warrant

On 3/10/26 at about 9AM, an officer observed a vehicle pulling out of the WestSpring Inn on Sperry Dr. The registered owner of the vehicle had a felony warrant out of Franklin County for a probation violation. The van was stopped in the area of Columbia and Detroit Rds. The man driving was the registered owner and his female companion was in the passenger seat. Neither person had a valid license and both had entered warrants for their arrest. While completing an inventory of the vehicle before towing it, the investigators noted that one small container had the label “drugs inside.” The officers confirmed that it was labeled correctly as it contained a white crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine. A meth pipe was also located near by. Both subjects are expected to be indicated for felony possession of drugs once the case is presented to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. The male driver, a 40yo Grove City, OH man, was transported to the county jail to await extradition to Franklin County. The 40yo Akron woman passenger, was processed and released.

Tow Truck Alert

On 3/12/26 at approx. 2:30PM, WPD received a call from a tow truck driver concerning a vehicle crash. He had been dispatched by a rental car company to pick up a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 24000 block of Center Ridge Rd. When he arrived, he discovered that the operator had hit something causing the wheel to fly off the Jeep Compass. Officers arrived to find that the female driver who called for the tow was still on scene. The 41yo Westlake woman did not want to cooperate with the investigation into what happened nor did she listen to the officers instructions for her. She was taken into custody with a minor use of force. The woman was transported to jail and charged with OVI and failure to control her vehicle and failure to comply with the officer. No one was injured in the crash and she did not strike another vehicle. Reports note that when the arresting officer asked the woman to take a breath test, she replied with vulgarities. The officer took this as a refusal to submit to the test. She was placed under an immediate license suspension for refusing the test. The driver had 1 prior OVI conviction in 2007.

Weaving on I-90

On 3/14/26 at about 4AM, officers on patrol noticed that a Toyota Avalon was weaving on I90. After it weaved completely into the berm and back into the lanes of travel, the officers stopped the operator. Upon contact with the female driving, the officers noted that she appeared intoxicated as she was slurring her words and fumbled with her possessions while unsuccessfully looking for her license. When asked, the 41yo Lorain resident said she had not drunk “much at all” that night. Reports note that the woman had to lean against her vehicle to maintain balance. She was field tested and arrested for OVI despite the fact that the driver indicated that she did not want to “catch a DUI tonight.” An almost empty bottle of Casamigos was located in the back seat of the car during the inventory. The driver was arrested for OVI and transported to jail where she refused a breath test. She was cited with OVI and refusing a chemical test with prior OVI convictions. Her prior convictions for driving under the influence were in 2009 and 2017. Her license was suspended on the spot before she was released to a sober ride.

New Driver Crash

On 3/18/26 at about 7:45AM, officers responded to the report of a motor vehicle crash on Riviera Ln. A resident there heard the commotion and checked on the juvenile operator to learn that he was unhurt. Investigation revealed that the 16yo Westlake resident ran off the roadway and struck a tree and mailbox. The VW Atlas had disabling damage. Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as being a factor in the crash. The driver was cited with failure to control.

Fugitive Captured

On 3/18/26 at about 9AM, WPD received notification from the Milford Police Department in Connecticut that a wanted fugitive was most likely in the area of Westlake. This 28yo man, who lists an address in Waterbury, CT, had cut off his GPS ankle monitor thereby violating his pre-trial conditions of release for several counts of domestic violence in that state. Even more alarming, the suspect was seen traveling in the Cleveland area in the vehicle of the victim of the domestic violence incidents. The vehicle was spotted on Flock license plate readers in Westlake. It was believed that the female victim was with the suspect despite temporary protections orders ordering their separation. The man’s warrants indicated that he was known to carry firearms and Connecticut officials would pick him up anywhere in the continental US. By 9:30AM, Westlake officers located the Connecticut plated vehicle parked at a hotel on Clemens at Crocker. Detectives and uniformed officers set up surveillance and watched as the man walked out of the hotel with the victim female. The suspect was quickly taken into custody without further incident. Investigators noted that the woman had fresh injuries that appeared serious including suspected broken rib(s) as well as an apparently broken nose. Investigation revealed that although the victim left Connecticut willfully with the man, the relationship soon reverted to one of violence and control. The suspect caused injuries to the victim and controlled access to vehicle keys, finances and cell phones. The Connecticut man was charged with several new felonies including kidnapping, violation of a protection order, felonious assault and disrupting public service.

Scammed

On 3/18/26 at approx. 10:30AM, a citizen came to the Westlake PD to report being the victim of a scam. The woman had received a call from her sister who was upset because she had learned that her daughter was in jail and needed bail money. The sister had received a call from a fictitious sergeant at the Summit County Jail. The Westlake victim wanted to help out and called the number provided by the scammer. The legitimate sounding man talked the victim into using the Zelle application to send over $1500 to an unknown account. When the Westlake woman’s sister went to pick up her daughter from the jail, she learned that it was all a scam. Reports were generated with the Akron PD as well as with WPD.

Fight in Progress

On 3/19/26 at about 1:15AM, WPD officers were dispatched to the parking lot of the WestSpring Inn on Sperry for a fight in progress. Witnesses said that 2 men were fighting and one was seen with a firearm. Officers did not see any commotion when they arrived but soon learned that the participants had retreated to a couple of the motel rooms. Both men were located and interviewed. No firearm was found. Neither man wanted to pursue charges for the fight. It turned out that one of the men believed that the other was casing vehicles in the parking lot for a theft. The men did not know each other. The man who was supposedly acting suspiciously around the vehicles was observed to be highly intoxicated. He admitted he had been using narcotics and a baggie of a pink powder was located in his room. The 30yo from Lorain, who at first identified himself as his brother, was transported to the hospital due to concerns of overdose. Once cleared he was transported to jail. He was charged with tampering with evidence and obstruction. Drug possession charges will be filed pending the results of analysis of the collected powder. Reports note that the man had numerous warrants for his arrest including for felonies from Cuyahoga County and Lorain County. The other man was found to have a warrant out of North Olmsted. The 24yo Cleveland man was arrested and turned over to that agency.

Dirt Bike Blues

On March 1, 2026 at 4:50 pm, BVPD unit observed and stopped two juveniles on dirt bikes near Lake Rd/Porter Creek. Their parents were contacted and responded to the scene to take custody. One juvenile was transported home by BVPD due to the parent being unable to respond to the scene. All parties were advised and counseled regarding the new ordinances pertaining to e-bikes.

Unwanted Guest

On March 1, 2026 at 10:00 pm, a resident on Glen Park contacted BVPD regarding an unwanted guest at the residence. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with the individual. The individual agreed to leave the residence, and officers assisted the individual to a nearby hotel.

Large Quantity of Marijuana

On March 2, 2026 at 2:41 am, a BVPD unit conducted a traffic stop near Lake/Columbia. Upon speaking with the driver, a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted. The search yielded a large quantity of marijuana along with items consistent with drug distribution. The vehicle was towed and evidence collected. The 29-year-old Shaker Hts resident will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Traffic Incident

On March 2, 2026 at 10:00 am, a caller contacted BVPD Dispatch to report that a blue vehicle passed him on Walker Rd. at a high rate of speed and continued speeding. The caller followed the vehicle until it parked in a driveway near the intersection of Drake/ Hurst. The caller advised he did not wish to have police respond but wanted to notify authorities of the traffic incident.

Fraud Report

On March 3, 2026 at 11:02 am, resident arrived on station to file a fraud report. The resident reports someone opened an account with Key Bank using their information. Police are investigating.

Rocky River Swatting Call

On March 4, 2026 at 11:00 am, BVPD, along with several surrounding agencies, assisted Rocky River Police Department by providing mutual aid at Rocky River High School in response to a threat that had been called in. Officers provided assistance on scene while the situation was investigated. The incident was ultimately determined to be a swatting call. It was reported that several other agencies across Ohio received similar calls around the same time.

Active Warrant

On March 4, 2026 at 5:45 pm, Strongsville Police Department contacted BVPD regarding a traffic stop involving an individual who had an active warrant through Bay Village. Dispatch confirmed the warrant, and a BVPD unit responded to meet with Strongsville PD to take custody of the individual. The male was transported to the BVPD jail, where he was booked and later released on bond.

Items Concealed Internally

On March 4, 2026 at 10:54 pm, a BVPD unit observed a vehicle displaying expired license plates. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle attempted to avoid police and pulled into a residence on Lake Rd. A traffic stop was then conducted on the vehicle. The driver provided false identifying information and was detained. Two additional occupants in the vehicle were identified and later assisted with being dropped off at a residence in Rocky River.

The vehicle was towed due to displaying fictitious license plates. The driver was transported to BVPD, where he was booked and later released on a personal bond. The male was charged with Driving Under Suspension, Fictitious Plates, Obstructing Official Business, and Expired Registration. The male when identified, was found to have an active felony warrant through the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office. BVPD met LCSO and turned over the male. Upon reviewing patrol camera footage, it was discovered that the male appeared to conceal items internally. BVPD assisted in providing the footage to Lorain County Sheriff’s Office to assist them with additional charges for this male as it was confirmed the male concealed drug paraphernalia internally. The 35-year-old Vermillion resident will be facing charges through Rocky River municipal Court.

Kid Trouble

On March 8, 2026 at 6:20 pm, A resident contacted BVPD to report ongoing issues with juveniles playing in their yard on Oakmoor Road. Officers responded to the area; however, the children left prior to police arrival. The resident was advised to contact BVPD if the juveniles returned so officers could respond and speak with them.

Personal Info Compromised

On March 9, 2026 at 12:18 on, A resident on Columbia Road reported receiving a letter from a credit card company denying them for a new credit card. The resident stated they did not apply for the card and realized their personal information had been compromised. The resident completed a fraud report with BVPD.

Firearms in Car

On March 11, 2026 at 1:00 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop at Winsor/Bassett for a traffic violation. The occupants were asked if there were any weapons in the vehicle. During a probable cause search, a firearm was located on the driver. A second firearm and loaded extended magazines were also located. The driver and passenger were placed under arrest and transported to the BVPD jail for booking. The driver, a 23-year-old Cleveland resident, was charged with Carrying Concealed Weapons, Expired Registration, Weaving, and Limitations on Conduct by Individuals (Cannabis). The passenger, a 23-year-old Cleveland resident, was charged with Carrying Concealed Weapons. Both parties were booked and released on a personal bond. They will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Active Warrant

On March 13, 2026 at 8:37 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle whose registered owner was listed as having an active warrant through BVPD. The driver was confirmed to be the owner, and the warrant was verified. The driver was placed under arrest and transported to the BVPD jail, where they were booked and later released on bond.

Expired Since 2024

On March 13, 2026 at 11:14 am, a BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Wolf/Bayfair for a traffic violation. Upon speaking with the driver, officers advised her that the vehicle registration showed expired since 2024. The vehicle was towed, and the driver was issued a citation. BVPD provided the driver with a courtesy ride to the BVPD lobby so she could arrange for a ride. The 25-year-old Cleveland Hts resident will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Scammed for $20 Grand

On March 13, 2026 at 2:00 pm, A resident responded to BVPD to report that he had fallen victim to an online scam and lost approximately $20,000. The resident stated that while checking his email, a pop-up box appeared on his computer. After clicking on it, the screen went blank and a message appeared claiming to be from Microsoft, providing a phone number to call for assistance. The resident contacted the number and was told that someone had stolen his identity and used it to purchase child pornography. The caller stated that the only way to resolve the issue was to wire $20,000. The scammers instructed the resident to tell his bank that the withdrawal was for emergency medical expenses so the bank would not question the transaction. The resident wired the $20,000 as instructed but was then told to withdraw an additional $15,000. While attempting to make the second withdrawal, the bank manager overheard the reason given for the withdrawal and believed the situation to be a scam. When the manager attempted to speak with the person on the phone, the caller disconnected. Police are investigating the incident.

Expired Registration

On March 14, 2026 at 4:30, BVPD BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Lake/Sandalwood for a traffic violation. The driver’s vehicle registration was found to be expired since March 2025. The driver was issued a citation for expired registration. The 34-year-old Rocky River resident will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Welfare Check

On March 14, 2026 at 6:40 pm, A caller contacted BVPD requesting a welfare check on a resident on Wildbrook Drive, advising they had not been able to reach their friend for the past five days. BVPD responded and made contact with the resident, who appeared to be in good condition. The resident stated they were having issues with both their landline and cell phone. The caller arrived on scene to assist the resident with resolving the phone issues.

Under the Influence

On March 15, 2026 at 1:52 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Wolf/ Forestview. Upon speaking with the driver, it was suspected they were under the influence. The driver submitted to standardized field sobriety tests and subsequently arrested for OVI. The driver was conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked. The driver was offered a breath test, in which he refused. The driver was charged and released to a sober adult. Due to previous OVI refusals the driver’s vehicle is subjected to immobilization. The 31-year-old Bay Village resident was charged with OVI, OVI multiple, and driving in marked lanes. He will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Warrants Confirmed

On March 15, 2026 at 5:54 pm, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Columbia Road and the railroad tracks. Officers spoke with the driver, who was found to have a suspended license and active warrants through the Cleveland Police Department and the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office. The driver was detained while the warrants were confirmed. Cleveland Police advised they would pick up the male on their warrant. The vehicle was towed, and the driver was transported to the BVPD jail to be held for Cleveland Police. The driver was issued a citation for driving under suspension and obeying traffic control devices. The 45-year-old Cleveland resident will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.