Juvenile charged in murder of 19-year-old cousin

By Lucas Sullivan | Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 01:58 PM

DAYTON - A murder charge has been filed against a 16-year-old boy who police said shot his cousin to death in November over a dispute about drugs.

Trenton Scroggins, 19

The juvenile’s name is not being released but Montgomery County Prosecutor’s and he has yet to be indicted by a grand jury in the death Trenton Scroggins, prosecutor’s spokesman Greg Flannagan said Tuesday, March 16.

The teen has been in the Juvenile Justice Center since Scroggins was shot in late November and is expected to be transferred to the county jail at some point, Flannagan said. If indicted, prosecutors will seek to try the juvenile as an adult, Flannagan said.

The cousins got into a dispute on Nov. 21 about 8 p.m. over a drug debt and guns were displayed, Sgt. Gary White said at the time. Scroggins, then 19, was shot multiple times and died hours later during surgery at Miami Valley Hospital, authorities said.

The shooting appeared to be gang-related and police had a difficult time getting witnesses to cooperate, authorities said.

Scroggins was the city’s 37th homicide victim of 2009. To check the status of all homicides since 2008 and view an interactive map where they occurred, click here.

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Jailed doctor cited by medical board after patient complaints

By Lucas Sullivan | Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 11:51 AM

HUBER HEIGHTS - The State Medical Board of Ohio has cited a 48-year-old Huber Heights doctor already in jail on a conspiracy to commit murder charge for alleged “sexual misconduct” with 13 patients in his practice.

Shafik Ahmad, 48

Joan Wehrle, an executive with the medical board, said Tuesday, March 16, the citation is the beginning of disciplinary actions the board intends to pursue against Dr. Shafik Ahmad.

“The board alleges that Dr. Ahmad engaged in sexual misconduct with patients, violated provisions of the American Medical Association’s Code of Ethics, violated board rules related to sexual misconduct, and did not conform to minimal standards of care,” Wehrle said.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies in October arrested Ahmad on charges related to a murder plot targeting Ahmad’s former wife, Sheriff Phil Plummer said at the time.

Ahmad was arrested in the 100 block of East Spring Valley Road after an informant tipped investigators to the murder conspiracy, Plummer said. Ahmad remains in jail on $3 million bond and no trial date has been set in the case, according to court records.

His former wife was not harmed.

Ahmad can continue to practice medicine pending a personnel hearing, Wehrle said. State medical records show Ahmad operates a family practice at 6750 Brandt Pike in Huber Heights and at 2550 Shiloh Springs in Trotwood.

His offices have been shuttered since his arrest.

Before the alleged murder plot was uncovered, several of Ahmad’s patients lodged complaints, alleging inappropriate sexual comments and touching, according to medical board records.

None of the complaints resulted in Ahmad being criminally charged though he has been sued by at least one person related to allegations and had to pay $30,000 in damages and fees.

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Man who injured officer, shut down road faces slew of charges

By Lucas Sullivan | Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 11:11 AM

DAYTON - A city police officer is recovering from a hand injury after a 42-year-old man who allegedly had drug paraphernalia in his car crashed the vehicle while trying to escape late Monday night, March 15.

Frederick Cooks, 42

Frederick Cooks was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on felony charges of vehicular assault, drug possession, assault of a police officer and carrying a concealed weapon after he was arrested by police on North Gettysburg Avenue near James H. McGee Boulevard, according to jail records.

Officers stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Impala Cooks was driving about 7:50 p.m., but as they approached, Cooks slammed the officers hand in the door and drove off, police said.

The Impala subsequently crossed the median, hit a pickup truck and crashed head-on into a passenger vehicle, police said. Cooks attempted to flee the scene but was caught by officers.

He and two people from the vehicles he struck were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Everyone, including the officer, have all been treated and released from local hospitals.

The crashes shut down traffic in both directions on Gettysburg. Police found a handgun, a bag of crack cocaine, two bags of marijuana, a half-smoked marijuana cigarette and a drug scale disguised as an iPhone in or around Cooks’ vehicle, police said.

Cooks initial court hearing is scheduled for today, March 16, at 1:30 p.m., according to jail records.

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Man’s cat mauled to death on porch by loose dog

By Lucas Sullivan | Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 10:57 AM

DAYTON - The owner of a Boxer/Labrador mix dog was warned she could face criminal charges if her dog gets loose and kills or harms again.

Officers responded to the 300 block of North Cherrywood Avenue about 4:30 p.m. after a man called and said the dog got loose and killed his cat on his front porch, according to a police report.

Harry Boltz said his cat was sitting on the windowsill when the dog ran up and killed it, the report stated. Boltz said the dog is an aggressive animal as officers noticed a large amount of blood on the porch, the report stated.

The dog’s owner, Catherine Graham, was not available but her daughter Angela Marshall said the dog had gotten loose, the report stated. Officers warned her if the dog gets out again or harms something again there would be criminal consequences.

The dog did have a valid license and was registered, police.

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Child pornography leads to arrest of Huber Heights man

By Lucas Sullivan | Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 10:28 AM

HUBER HEIGHTS - A 42-year-old nursing student is in the Montgomery County Jail after U.S. Marshals arrested him this morning, March 16, on a warrant for pandering sexually obscene material and sexually oriented material involving a minor charges.

Brian L. Mathis, 42

Deputy Marshals were waiting at Miami-Jacobs Career College, 110 N. Patterson Blvd., when Brian Mathis walked in for class about 8 a.m., Deputy Marshal Jeremy Rose said.

His arrest comes after his live-in girlfriend notified Kettering police that Mathis allegedly downloaded child pornography onto her computer, Kettering Officer Michael Burke said. Police presented their case to county prosecutors earlier this month and last week a grand jury indicted Mathis on the felony pandering charges, according to court records.

“Three times in 2009 Mr. Mathis downloaded child pornography on his girlfriend’s computer,” Burke said. “She gave us consent to remove (the computer) from her home and we submitted it as evidence.”

Marshals first went to Mathis’ mother’s house in Huber Heights were he lives, but she said Mathis was on his way to class, Rose said. He was arrested without incident.

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Man found by van died from natual causes, coroner says

By Lucas Sullivan | Monday, March 15, 2010, 10:53 AM

DAYTON - Homicide detectives have been called to the 600 block of Hillrose Avenue on the report of a dead body this morning, March 15.

Rick Meyer was pronounced dead at the scene this morning about 9:30 a.m., according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. He died of natural causes.

Neighbors said Meyer was severely ill and might have died from an ongoing illness.

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Woman found dead behind house considered homicide victim

By Lucas Sullivan | Monday, March 15, 2010, 10:33 AM

DAYTON — Investigators suspect foul play in the death of a 47-year-old woman whose body was found Sunday, March 14, behind a vacant home . The woman’s pants were unbuttoned and there was blood near her eye.

Kimberly Paradiso, 47

Kimberly Paradiso’s death is considered a homicide, though an official ruling is pending toxicology tests that could answer numerous questions surrounding her death, Montgomery County Coroner’s Director Ken Betz said.

Betz said Paradiso suffered “soft tissue” damage, but declined to elaborate in an effort not to compromise the investigation. He would not say if Paradiso was sexually assaulted.

It appears she died near or where her body was found, investigators said.

Five children, all under the age of 10, found Paradiso’s rain-soaked body behind a home at 58 Warder St. about 3 p.m., police and residents in the area said.

It appears she had been lying there for 24 hours or more, police said. There is no record of Paradiso reported missing , police said.

Homicide detectives spent most of Monday tracking down family members and trying to figure out the last time Paradiso was seen alive. Paradiso’s family asked for privacy and declined comment.

Court records show Paradiso was divorced in 2005 and had one child under the age of 18. She had been arrested numerous times on charges including misdemeanor menacing, domestic violence and public intoxication, according to court records.

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Man arrested in connection with early-morning shooting

By Lucas Sullivan | Friday, March 12, 2010, 04:19 PM

DAYTON - A 20-year-old man was arrested this morning, March 12, in connection with a man found by police with a gunshot wound to the head.

Aaron Craycraft, 20

Aaron Craycraft was in the Montgomery County Jail on a first-degree felony assault charge after officers responded to a shooting near the 1700 block of east Third Street and found a victim with a head wound, police said.

The bullet appeared to graze the victim, who did not want to pursue charges, police said. Officers were able to track down Craycraft, who they believe was the shooter. The shooting happened some time before 6 a.m. after a disagreement between a group of people, police said.

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Medics racing to scene of four-car crash

By Lucas Sullivan | Friday, March 12, 2010, 12:04 PM

HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County - Numerous paramedics are responding to a four-car crash near the intersection of Klepinger and Turner roads about noon today, March 12.

It is unknown how many are injured or what is the cause of the accident, but as many as four medic units were asked to respond to the scene, according to police scanner traffic.

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Police officer charged with menacing after brandishing gun

By Lucas Sullivan | Thursday, March 11, 2010, 05:55 PM

DAYTON - A Dayton International Airport Police officer is facing a misdemeanor menacing charge after witnesses and victims said he brandished his city-issued handgun in front of kids to threaten a man while off duty.

Michael Lawson, 30

City police responded to the 300 block of Maryland Avenue about 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, after receiving a call that Michael Lawson “pulled a gun out” and threatened someone, according to a police report.

Officers later learned Lawson, 30, had pulled out a gun in front of his girlfriend’s children after threatening their father with physical harm, according to a police report. Lawson was not arrested, but ordered in to talk with prosecutors Thursday, March 11.

A case was created in Dayton Municipal Court Thursday morning with a misdemeanor charge of menacing, according to court records. Lawson is scheduled for arraignment in municipal court on March 23.

Lawson has been placed on paid administrative leave and his weapon seized by his supervisor. He was not home early Thursday afternoon and was unavailable for comment.

After arriving at Maryland Avenue, officers found Lawson, 30, in his gray Jeep Cherokee on Deeds Avenue and he immediately jumped out of the vehicle and identified himself as an airport police officer, the report stated.

Lawson said he returned his city-issued Glock 22 back in house after having an argument with the father of his girlfriend’s children, police said. Lawson said he and Mark Shade have had numerous run-ins the last four months he has been dating his girlfriend.

Lawson said Shade has threatened him with physical harm numerous time and started yelling at him while waiting at an RTA bus stop Wednesday. But Shade contends Lawson pulled up in his Jeep and started cussing at him, the report stated.

Witnesses also reported Lawson approached Shade and made threatening comments, police said. Lawson then returned to his Jeep and retrieved a gun, police said.

Numerous witnesses said Shade’s children started screaming “He pulled a gun” before a resident in the area grabbed Lawson and broke up the altercation, the report stated.

This isn’t Lawson’s first brush with police. He was arrested on a domestic violence charge in May but the charges were later dismissed, according to court records.

The Dayton International Airport has 27 full-time police officers, many of which are members of the Dayton Public Service Union, city officials said.

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