AKRON
Police say man shot wife
AKRON: A 51-year-old Akron man was arrested Wednesday on charges that he shot his wife in the head with a handgun.
Phillip E. Battle, of Johnland Avenue in the Goodyear Heights neighborhood, is charged with felonious assault. He was arrested within hours of the shooting.
Battle’s wife, 58, was found about 8 a.m. with a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to Summa Akron City Hospital, where police reported she’s in critical condition.
Battle was apprehended at about 9:30 a.m. after a brief car chase.
He was initially located on South Arlington Street near 7th Avenue, about two miles southwest of his home.
GREEN
Help for hurricane victims
GREEN: Mayor Gerard Neugebauer said two members of the Green Fire Department were instrumental in the rescue of 24 flood victims while deployed to North Carolina during Hurricane Matthew.
During remarks to City Council on Tuesday, the mayor said the Federal Emergency Management Agency covered all expenses for Fire Capt. Josh Compton and firefighter/paramedic Mike Pratt during their deployment to Fayetteville, N.C.
FEMA also is reimbursing the city for any overtime pay required to cover the two firefighters’ duties during their absence.
Both men were expected to return to Green on Wednesday, according to Fire Chief Jeff Funai. The chief had Neugebauer’s consent to send Compton and Pratt, who are certified in rescue training.
PLAIN TOWNSHIP
New fire chief takes helm
PLAIN TWP.: Chuck Shalenberger was sworn in as the new fire chief at the Plain Township Trustees meeting Tuesday evening.
He first joined the Plain Township Fire Department as a volunteer in 1984, becoming a full-time member in 1992 and deputy chief in 2012.
He is only the fourth fire chief for Plain Township. Trustee John Sabo, a retired township fire chief, swore in Shalenberger.
Trustees also issued a proclamation honoring retiring Fire Chief Don Snyder for his 43 years of service to the department, the last 3½ as chief, and authorized giving him his fire gear, helmet, badge, uniform and insignia.
In other business, trustees authorized paying Hilscher-Clarke Electric Co. a total of $9,535 for lighting for the new Veterans Memorial, noting the funds will be taken from a $10,000 donation from the Plain Township Rotary.
Because of Election Day, the trustees decided to hold their regular meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 9. A work session begins at 5:20 p.m.
STARK COUNTY
Man held in fatal hit-skip
PLAIN TWP.: Stark County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man they believe was involved in a fatal hit-skip accident last week.
Joe Matthew Wilds, 22, of Cathy Drive Northeast in Plain Township, was charged Tuesday with hit-skip and a lane violation, and is being held at the Stark County Jail as the investigation continues.
Deputies made the arrest while on routine patrol in Plain Township.
Authorities pulled over a 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis after the driver allegedly traveled left of center on Regentview Avenue.
After they stopped the car, the deputies noticed damage on the right side of the windshield and the passenger side mirror that “appeared to be consistent with the damage believed to be from the pedestrian hit-skip crash” that occurred Oct. 4 on U.S. Route 62 at Middlebranch Avenue Northeast, police said.
Dennis Slaton, 60, was found dead at the scene of the crash.
Authorities said the suspect admitted to being involved in the accident.
Deputies had been searching for the suspect since the crash.
Anyone with any information related to the crash is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 330-430-3800.