WEST SHORE BLUES: The Best of the Beats

Runaway Vehicle

On 12/6/25 at about 9AM, an officer on patrol noticed a white sedan on I90 E/B. What drew his attention was that the car’s front bumper was dragging on the ground. It appeared it had just been in a collision. The officer stopped the car as it exited the highway at Columbia. Upon speaking with the female driver and her male passenger, the officer noted that the man had an open container of alcohol on the floorboard at his feet and the back seat of the car was littered with apparently new clothing with the tags still attached. While the officer was asking questions of the pair and attempting to fully identify them, the female quickly shifted the car into park and squealed her tires as she sped away. The officer noted that the vehicle almost ran over his feet as it fled the traffic stop. The officer pursued the suspect vehicle back onto I90 E/B before calling off the chase due to safety concerns. The driver was the registered owner of the car who had a suspended license as well as entered warrants for past shoplifting and traffic offenses. The male passenger was found to be wanted by Parma PD for a traffic offense.

On 12/9/25 at approx. 12:30PM, WPD received word that Brooklyn Hts PD stopped the vehicle after seeing the “Be on the Lookout” posted by Westlake officers. The vehicle was now completely missing the front bumper. The same woman was driving and was arrested. Later, Westlake picked her up to answer to WPD charges of failure to comply, driving under suspension and operating an unsafe vehicle. Although the man was not in the car at that point, he was sent a ticket for possession of an open container.

He Dumped His Gun

On 12/6/25 at approx. 11AM officers were dispatched to the Wyndham Garden Inn on Crocker for a disturbance. Employees reported that a guest was in the lobby being “nasty and aggressive” while he harassed the front desk staff and refused to leave the property. Officers learned that the man also had a warrant out of Independence PD for a prior cocaine possession charge. Employees let the officers know that the suspect fled up the stairs upon seeing the police cars pull into the parking lot. The investigators walked upstairs in the hotel and saw the man run away to a trash can at the end of the hallway. He then complied with the officers’ orders to walk over to them. The investigators soon learned that the man dumped a Taurus 9mm firearm in the trash can. He knew he was not allowed to possess a gun due to prior convictions of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. The 40yo Cleveland man was charged with having weapons under disability, and tampering with evidence, both felonies.

85-Year Old Scammed

On 12/11/25 at approx. 12:30PM, an 85yo resident responded to the WPD station to report being the victim of a scam. The day prior, the man was on his computer when he received a pop up message indicating that his computer was compromised. The message had a phone number to call that purported to be from “Microsoft.” Unfortunately, the man called the provided number and was connected to the scammers. They transferred him several times and made him believe that his bank account was also compromised and he was missing $40,000. The only way to recoup the funds would be through a process called “Duplicate Charges.” The man was instructed to go to his bank and withdraw cash after being given a back-story to tell the teller. He was then guided to a crypto-ATM in Parma where he deposited $20,000 into a provided crypto fund wallet. A WPD and ic3.com report were generated. ***WPD reminds everyone to talk to your loved ones, neighbors and anyone else who will listen about these recurring scams. If anyone is guiding you to withdraw cash, place cash into a crypto ATM or buy gift cards…IT IS A SCAM!***

Bouncing Off Utility Poles

On 12/14/25 at about 8:20PM, a concerned citizen called WPD to report that a GMC Truck was driving erratically before striking “a few” utility poles in North Ridgeville. The vehicle traveled into Westlake and parked at a business at the corner of Center Ridge and Bradley. There was heavy front end damage to the truck and the man who had been driving was bleeding when the officers arrived. The investigators noted that the man showed signs of impairment while waiting for EMS response. Officers noted that they had trouble understanding him due to his slurred speech. The 64yo Oakwood Village man denied drinking that day. The man declined medical treatment from the paramedics and was placed into custody for OVI. He refused a breath test at the Westlake Jail. His license was placed under an immediate suspension and charges for OVI and refusing a chemical test after a prior OVI conviction were filed. The man had prior OVI convictions in 2022, 2008, 1997, 1996, 2 in 1994 and 1 in 1986 and 1984. North Ridgeville PD confirmed that the truck had struck and severely damaged at least one telephone pole in their city.

She Found Her Car

On 12/15/25 at approx. 3:30PM, WPD received a Flock License Plate Reader alert of a reported stolen Kia driving in the city. Officers located the identified vehicle in a parking garage at Crocker Park. Before approaching the occupied car, the police noted that the driver appeared to look like the rightful registered owner. The driver was cooperative when approached by the officers and was indeed identified as the owner. The woman explained that she had reported the car as being stolen to Cleveland PD. She had since found the vehicle and, the night prior to this stop, let Cleveland PD know it was back in her possession. The woman was advised to call Cleveland PD again and let them know that it was still entered in police databases as being stolen.

“A Little Bit of Ice”

On 12/16/25 at about 11PM, WPD officers learned that a guest at the WestSpring Inn on Sperry had felony warrants for his arrest for identity fraud. The man was found in a room and was placed into custody without incident. The 38yo man, who listed the hotel as his residence, was found to have 2 small ziplock baggies containing a substance in his pocket. When asked, the man indicated it was “a little bit of ice…” Ice is a common street name for Methamphetamine. A woman in the hotel room, who identified herself as the arrested man’s girlfriend, was found to have active warrants for her arrest from Middleburg Hts and Independence Pds. The man was arrested and charged with felony possession of drugs. This was a felony of the 3rd degree due to the amount of the illicit drug found.

They Got this Guy!

On 11/6/25 at approx. 5:30PM, WPD received a call from a clerk at the Speedway at Bradley and Detroit indicating that a customer had been inside the store possibly committing a fraud. The man had been inside attempting to purchase gift cards by using his phone’s tap to pay function. The clerk noted that the man kept swiping his phone to change credit card information as various cards were declined. He was finally able to purchase a Macy’s gift card with one of the tap to pay cards. This is a common scheme where an actor uses stolen credit card numbers stored on their phone to pay for gift cards. The suspect was gone upon the officers’ arrival. Patrol officers checked on other gas stations in the area and alerted local police departments that the suspect was around. It was learned that the man had also just been in the Speedway on Center Ridge in Westlake as well as a gas station in Bay Village attempting the same transactions. A surveillance video showed the man had arrived and left in a pickup truck. Using Westlake License Plate readers the vehicle plate was identified. Reports note that the pickup had been traveling throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Delaware, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Detectives contacted the owner of the credit card used in the transaction and learned that it had just been cancelled due to the large amount of fraudulent activity. The owner of the card was in Rockwell, NC. Warrants were obtained for the 38yo suspect who listed a Las Vegas, NV address. Search warrants were obtained after the suspect was tracked to a home on E.47th in Cleveland. On 12/18/25 the warrants were executed at the house. The suspect was arrested there. Electronics including computers and cell phones were taken as evidence of the ongoing frauds. The man is in the Westlake Jail and is being charged with felony identity fraud. The group at the home is suspected of being involved with a criminal organization. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is now involved.

Swerving on I-90

On 12/19/25 at about 10PM, WPD received a call reporting a vehicle swerving between all three lanes of I90 E/B. Officers located the described vehicle just before Columbia Rd. They stopped the Mitsubishi after witnessing it weaving over the lane lines. The 50yo Cleveland man handed the investigating officer his credit card despite being asked for a driver’s license. The driver appeared intoxicated and indicated he was coming from his residence by the zoo. This did not make sense considering his direction of travel. The man was field tested and arrested for OVI. He was found to be over 2 and ½ times the legal limit after he took a breath test. He was given a mandatory court date in Rocky River Municipal Court.

All Over the Road (and His Coat!)

On 12/20/25 at approx. 12:30AM, a concerned citizen called WPD to report that he observed a blue pick-up truck strike a brick mailbox on Hilliard Bl. Officers arrived to find that the Chevy Silverado had crossed through the median of the roadway, struck a wooden flowerbox and came to final rest after destroying a brick roadside mailbox. The truck had heavy front end damage. The man driving said he was uninjured but appeared intoxicated. Reports note that he had vomit on the front of his coat and sweatshirt. He was field tested and arrested for OVI. A loaded handgun was found in the vehicle as well. The 22yo Brecksville man was arrested and transported to the Westlake City Jail where he refused a breath test. Due to the refusal, the driver was placed under an immediate license suspension and his physical license was sent back to the Ohio BMV for processing. He was charged with improper handling of a firearm, OVI, marked lanes and expired registration.

Wild Night at the Apartment

On 12/21/25 at approx. 4:50AM, officers were dispatched to the Barrington Apartments after a neighbor reported hearing a loud domestic argument. Upon arrival, officers followed the sounds of screaming to find a female flailing around in a hallway. She was so intoxicated that she could not stand. The woman was cited with disorderly conduct while intoxicated at the hospital where she was transported to be medically checked out. While investigating why the woman was in the hallway screaming incoherently, a man was located standing near by the woman’s apartment door. The man was identified as a relative of the woman. He was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm right after he told the officers he did not have a gun. The 23yo who listed a Cleveland address, had lost his legal right to possess a gun due to prior convictions of felonious assault and firing a gun into a residence. In fact, the man finally admitted he had just gotten out of prison after serving 5 years. He still had an ankle monitor attached to his leg. Investigation revealed that no violence had occurred that night. The man was arrested for felony having weapons while under disability.

Stopped on the Freeway

On 12/21/25 at about 5:20AM, WPD received multiple calls reporting a disabled white Tesla stopped in the middle lane of I90 near Crocker Rd. Officers arrived to find the car stopped directly in the middle of the highway with the driver passed out behind the wheel. Luckily the driver was woken up fairly quickly allowing the vehicle to be safely moved out of the lanes of travel. The driver, a 26yo Euclid man, appeared to have urinated himself and had to hand the Sergeant his whole wallet as he was not able to manipulate it enough to remove his license. When asked how much he had to drink the man replied “a decent amount.” The man appeared so intoxicated that field tests were not attempted. He was arrested for OVI. At the Westlake City Jail the man tested over 1 and ½ times the legal limit. His charges included OVI, stopping on the highway and driving with a prohibited breath alcohol content.

Made for Each Other

On 12/24/25 at approx. 8:30PM, WPD received a 911 call from a resident at the WestSpring Inn on Sperry. The female indicated that she needed assistance from the police because her boyfriend would not take her somewhere to eat. She admitted she had been drinking. Responding officers noted that they had been to the same hotel room on 12/16 when they dealt with the boyfriend and arrested him for felony warrants and possession of meth. The caller had been there at that time and still had 2 warrants entered for her arrest for prior theft and property damage crimes. Officers spoke with both parties. Reports note that the woman was not making sense and kept talking about being in “virtual reality.” The man had separated himself from the situation by hanging out in his vehicle. The caller was placed into custody for disorderly conduct while being intoxicated. The 35yo woman was transported to the Westlake Jail for her safety until she sobered up. She listed the WestSpring Inn as her home address when being booked.

Too Much Merry

On Christmas morning at approx. 6:40AM, officers on patrol noted a vehicle speeding, weaving and making abrupt lane changes without signal on I90. The vehicle was stopped on I90 W/B at Canterbury. The 18yo Sheffield Lake man indicated he was “just tired” and was headed home. Officers noted signs of impairment. The man could not recite the alphabet in a normal A–Z fashion­ and was further field tested. The driver was arrested for OVI (Drug) and his vehicle was towed from the highway. The man submitted to a urine test at the jail. He was cited with OVI. Additional charges may be presented after crime lab analysis of the sample.

You Can Run But….

On 12/27/25 at about noon, WPD received a call from Ulta reporting a shoplifting in progress. A male had entered the store and walked around for a time appearing to talk on his cell phone. Eventually, he pulled out a large garbage bag, donned a mask that covered “everything but his eyes,” and loaded up the bag with merchandise. Before fleeing with over $4000 worth of items, the man yelled vulgarities at employees. Witnesses noted that the thief entered a silver F-150 with Pennsylvania plates before driving away. The described vehicle’s plate was found on Westlake FLOCK license plate readers which tracked the vehicle to North Olmsted. Reports note that the plate was entered as being stolen. North Olmsted PD attempted to stop the truck which fled onto I480. After NOPD called off the chase, The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) found the truck and chased it into Trumble County where it crashed. 2 men were taken into custody by OSHP. The stolen Ulta products were recovered. WPD will present felony theft charges to the Cuyahoga County Grand jury for an 18yo Staten Island, NY man.

Car v Pole

On 12/30/25 at about 1:15PM, officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash in the area of Detroit Rd and Hunters Chase. A Honda Accord had run off the roadway and struck a mailbox and utility pole. Crews shut the roadway down for a time to investigate and clean up the debris. Minor injuries were reported. A 38yo female was cited with failure to control. Neither drugs nor alcohol were suspected as contributing factors.

3x Over the Legal Limit

On 12/30/25 at approx. 11:45PM, WPD received a call from a motorist indicating that they had just been involved in a crash at the intersection of Columbia and Hilliard. The caller believed that the other driver may be intoxicated due to her slurred speech and smell of booze. Officers arrived and documented that a female driving a Hyundai struck a Kia from behind. The woman did appear intoxicated and reports note that she was difficult to understand due to her slurred speech. She was field tested and arrested for OVI. After being transported to the Westlake City Jail, the 39yo Olmsted Falls woman took a breath test and was found to be 3x over the legal limit. The driver was cited with OVI and failure to maintain assured clear distance. No injuries were reported after the crash.

Too Drunk to Shop

On 12/31/25 at approx. 10AM, WPD received a 911 call from an employee of Market District reporting that the store had just refused an alcohol sale to a customer due to the man’s level of intoxication. The staff was concerned because they saw the man stumbling around the store before exiting into the parking lot to apparently look for his vehicle. The man drove away before the officers arrived but he was tracked to a nearby residence. The police spoke with the 64yo Westlake man and noted signs of intoxication. He was arrested for OVI after refusing field sobriety tests. He also refused to take a breath test. The man was cited with OVI and refusing a chemical test after a prior (2017) OVI conviction. He was later released to a sober person.

Head-on Crash

On 12/31/25 at about 3:30PM, WPD received a 911 call reporting a head-on motor vehicle crash on Canterbury at Center Ridge. Officers responded and discovered that no injuries were reported. A vehicle made a right hand turn from Center Ridge onto Canterbury and struck a vehicle waiting for the traffic signal. A crash report was generated which resulted in a 56yo Westlake driver being cited for a marked lanes violation.

Victim of a Scam

On 1/2/26 at approx. 7:40PM, a citizen came to the WPD station to report being the victim of a scam. The victim, a 36yo woman, had received an unexpected phone call from a man who claimed to be a sheriff’s deputy. The man claimed that the victim had a warrant out for her arrest due to missing a court appearance earlier in the day. The scammer backed up his story with real sounding case names and official sounding case numbers. The caller explained that the woman either had to be arrested and spend the night or weekend in jail or had to pay a $6000 “bond.” The caller also added that the woman could not tell anyone about the warrant or she would have to be arrested. Photos of a warrant were texted and badge numbers were provided to back up the story. The scammer talked the victim into withdrawing the cash from the bank after warning that she could not tell the teller about the reason for the withdraw. The victim was then directed to a Westlake convenience store that had a crypto ATM. The victim made the deposit as instructed. It was only when the scammer demanded additional cash for a “state bond” that the victim realized that she had been defrauded. A theft report was taken and a report was filed with ic3.gov.

911 Hang-Up

On 1/3/26 at about 2:30AM, WPD received a 911 hang-up call from the WestSpring Inn on Sperry. There was no answer on call back but dispatchers noted that the phone number belonged to a woman who also had a warrant out for her arrest for an assault in the City of Lorain. The 29yo woman was located in one of the rooms with her partner and children. Although there had been a dispute, there had been no violence. The woman, who listed a Cleveland address, was arrested for her warrant and was turned over to Lorain PD.

Felony Possession

On 1/5/26 at approx. 1:30PM, officers stopped a vehicle on I90 at the Lorain County Line for equipment violations. The driver, a 49yo Cleveland man, had felony warrants out of Geauga County SO for a larceny offense and Cleveland PD for prior traffic violations. He was arrested and later turned over to Geauga Deputies after being cited with driving under suspension. The rear seat passenger was also arrested after officers located a baggie with white, rock like substances which had been tucked under the child seat in the rear of the vehicle. No child was present during the stop. The 36yo Cleveland woman was charged with felony possession of drugs after the substance tested positive for cocaine.

Driving on the Sidewalk

On 1/7/26 at about 8PM, WPD received a call from a concerned citizen reporting a possible intoxicated driver. The caller relayed that the Toyota Camry made an improper turn onto Columbia Rd and was actually driving on the residential sidewalk of Columbia for a time before the driver corrected himself and returned to the roadway. As officers caught up with the suspect vehicle, it turned onto Center Ridge into the wrong lanes of travel. Officers stopped the Camry on Hilliard Bl after it was driving aimlessly on several streets. The driver, a 70yo Westlake man, appeared confused as he indicated it was early in the morning and that he was headed home. He staggered from the vehicle when told to step out. The driver was field tested and arrested for OVI. He refused a chemical test in the Westlake Jail.

Drug Charges

On December 16, 2025 at 9:06 pm, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Lake/Upland. Subsequently the driver and passenger were placed under arrest for drug charges. The 23-year-old Parma Hts resident will be facing charges through Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. The 33-year-old Lakewood resident will be facing charges through Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Active Warrant

On December 17, 2025 at 9:18 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near I-90 W/Columbia. The driver had an active warrant through WLPD. The male was placed under arrest and turned over to WLPD.

Felony Drug Warrant

On December 17, 2025 at 3:41 pm, BVPD conducted a traffic stop on Lake Road near the Rocky River line. The driver was showing a felony drug warrant out of CPD. The female was detained while the warrant was confirmed. CPD confirmed the warrant and the female was conveyed and turned over to CPD.

Contractors at Work

On December 23, 2025 at 12:31 pm, a resident on Glen Park called in connection with unknown people at a home/tearing the residence up. Upon the arrival, BVPD observed a dumpster in the driveway. While speaking with a male, he advised the home was under construction and the suspicious persons were contractors.

OVI

On December 23, 2025 at 11:39, BVPD observed a traffic violation near Lake/Huntmere. Upon speaking with the driver, it was suspected they were under the influence. The driver submitted to standardized field testing and was subsequently arrested for OVI. The female was conveyed back to BVPD jail to be booked. She was given the opportunity to provide a breath sample which she refused. The 31-year-old Fairview Park resident was charged with OVI, OVI refusal, speed and weaving course. She will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.

Lonely Night

On December 25, 2025 at 1:33 am, BVPD observed a vehicle parked at the Cahoon Walking path with a person sitting outside of their vehicle. BVPD checked on the vehicle and spoke with a male. The male advised he was going through a breakup but was okay. Officers made sure the male was okay and advised him of park hours and sent on his way.

E-Scooter Violation

On December 25, 2025 at 3:47 pm, BVPD observed a juvenile on an electric scooter who crossed traffic on Wolf/Sutcliffe on a green light. Upon stopping the juvenile to speak with him over his violation, the juvenile was found to not be of age to operate an electric scooter. The juvenile’s parents were contacted and advised of the city ordinance & age restrictions.

Unwanted Guest

On December 26, 2025 at 12:28 pm, a resident on Lakeview contacted BVPD over an unwanted guest who showed up unannounced at the home. BVPD responded and located the individual matching the description given by the resident. The male was identified and had an active warrant with Brooklyn PD. The male was detained while the warrant was confirmed. Brooklyn confirmed the warrant and advised they would accept the male. BVPD transported and turned over the male to Brooklyn PD.

Suspended License While Ubering

On December 28, 2025 at 1:55 am, BVPD conducted a traffic stop near Lake/Vineland. Upon speaking with the driver, it was discovered he was driving on a suspended license while Ubering. The two passengers were given a courtesy ride home. The 41-year-old Cleveland resident was issued a citation for driving under suspension. He will be facing charges through Rocky River Municipal Court.