MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio
Drunken driving: Bagley Road
Police were sent to Fry Road at 8:15 p.m. Oct. 2 regarding a report of a reckless motorist driving on the wrong side of the road who almost hit a parked car.
They were unable to find the driver, but later went to Bagley Road regarding a car that had struck the ledge between two businesses. It was the same reckless motorist who had been reported earlier.
An officer asked the driver how his car had gotten stuck in that position. He said he was just trying to back up his car and go to sleep. He said he stays just up the street on “Westbrook Drive” -- which was nowhere near his current location. He told the officer he knew where he was.
When asked if he had had anything to drink that night, the driver said: “Yes, I did. Of course I did. I’m not going to lie to you. I had a few things to drink.”
He did not do well on field sobriety tests. In fact, on the last -- which was the one-leg stand -- he said he was “not about to pass the test.”
He was arrested. An open container of an alcoholic drink was found inside his car. His breath test measured a .243 level, three times the legal limit. He was also cited for failure to control.
Receiving stolen property: Bagley Road
An officer at 8:45 a.m. Oct. 2 noticed a car at Red Roof Inn with a paper Texas license plate. After checking the plate, he found that it belonged to a rental company, but the VIN did not match the car. It came back to another car that was listed as stolen from Cleveland.
Another officer at the scene removed the paper plate to reveal an Ohio paper license number that matched the VIN.
The car was towed after police found a wallet with 17 cards and a phone.
An officer viewed surveillance footage that showed the car arriving at the inn, with a couple getting out and entering a rented room. Police later arrested the man at the room and checked for weapons. The woman also was arrested and checked for weapons.
The man said he was unaware the car was stolen and said the woman had picked him up in it.
A firearm was found in a blue bag on the floor on the man’s pants. The man was seen carrying the bag on the footage. He denied owning it and said he had picked up the bag from inside the car to bring it into the room. A green leafy substance also was in the bag.
The woman also was surprised to hear that the car was stolen. She said she had borrowed it from a friend. She would not provide her friend’s name.
The firearm was stolen from Eastlake.
The man was released. The woman was cited with operating and possessing a stolen car.
The car’s owner was notified it was found. The gun was fired at a range and its shell casings submitted to check if it had been involved in any illegal activity.
Drunken driving: Sprague Road
North Royalton police called Middleburg Heights police at 3:18 a.m. Oct. 3 to say that they were with a car at West 130th Street and Sprague Road. Its driver was passed out behind the wheel.
Several North Royalton officers were there trying to open the car’s door. The car was running in drive with the man’s foot on the brake. They could not wake up the driver.
The driver’s door was opened with a lockout tool. They were then able to awaken the driver, who said he was coming from Homecoming. His speech was slurred and he smelled of alcohol.
He said he didn’t have “anybody to drink” when asked if he had consumed alcohol or drugs. He was unable to perform field sobriety tests. He was arrested and also cited for slow speed.
Theft: Newton Road
A victim of identity theft went to the police station Oct. 3. She said she had received a notification Sept. 29 from Wells Fargo Bank that someone had created another account in her name and was trying to transfer a significant amount of funds from her account to the new one.
She reported the information to Wells Fargo Bank. They gave her a case number and froze the new account. They also planned to open an investigation. She suffered no financial loss.
Fraud: Heather Lane
A resident went to the police station Oct. 5 and said five charges had been made on her credit card Feb. 8, 2020, that she did not authorize. Each was for $200. Three were made at a Rite Aid and two at a Dollar General.
She was unable to report this earlier. She said she had her credit card in her possession the entire time.
Fraud: Heather Lane
A resident went to the police station Oct. 6 to report a credit card fraud. He said he noticed $220 was charged on his card to a cell phone company. He does not use that company.
He called the company to create a fraud report. However, the company said there was insufficient evidence to determine that it was a fraud. He would be responsible for paying the $220.
A package was delivered locally via UPS with his name on it. He then went to UPS and obtained a tracking number showing that the package had been delivered to an Old Pleasant Valley Road address.
Theft: Southland Drive
An employee with the bank inside Giant Eagle contacted police Oct. 6 after she found that someone had broken into her car and stolen her purse. Her car was unlocked and unoccupied at that time.
She said she got to work at 9 a.m., returned to her car at 2 p.m. and noticed the purse was missing.
The officer was able to view surveillance footage. There are no suspects, however. Fingerprints were not taken at the scene due to contamination.
Driving under suspension: Interstate 71
An officer checked a truck at 11:10 p.m. Oct. 6 on the highway and the registration came back to a different truck. He made a traffic stop.
The motorist said he had just purchased the truck and that the plates belonged to his girlfriend’s truck. His statement checked out.
He had an active warrant for driving on a suspended license and improper plates. Fairview Park police took custody of him.
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