Hit-skip manhunt ends in barn

By KEVIN HOWELL

Staff Writer

A Leetonia man was arrested following a hit-and-skip crash that led to a manhunt at a Salem Township barn Friday morning.

John Mark Simonds, 46, of 106 Main St., Leetonia, was charged with operating a vehicle intoxicated (OVI), super OVI, reckless operation and leaving the scene of an accident after crashing through a yard at 10 West Main Street at 10:40 a.m. Friday.

Simonds blood alcohol level was .254, well above the state legal limit of .08.

According to Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano, village Superintendent of Utilities Butch Donnalley reported a green Chevy S-10 traveling at a high rate of speed west on Main Street.

At the corner of Main and Washington Street, the vehicle lost control and ran over a catch basin, struck two utility pole guide wires and proceeded through the yard at 10 West Main, running over a flag pole, before turning south from Washington onto Old state Route 344, Soldano said Donnalley reported.

Arriving at the crash scene with Mayor Artie Altomare, Soldano recovered the vehicle's front bumper and license plate, and after witnesses identified the driver as Simonds, he responded to Simonds' father's residence at 38027 Old state Route 344 to see if Simonds had gone there.

Once at the residence, Soldano observed Simonds speaking with

another person and run into a barn when he saw the cruiser.

After failed attempts to get Simonds to come out of the barn, Soldano contacted the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office for assistance.

With the assistance of Sheriff Ray Stone, Chief Deputy Alan Haueter, Lt. Brian McLaughlin and Deputy Wes Smith, as well as Leetonia fire Lt. Dave Leffel, Soldano apprehended Simonds, who was discovered hiding under several bales of hay and appeared highly intoxicated.

No injuries were reported, and an estimate of damage to village property is being developed by Donnalley and Village Administrator Gary Phillips, Soldano said. Simonds was transported to the Columbiana County jail, and charges are pending for the incident at the barn, he added.

"Thanks goes to the sheriff's office for responding so quickly and being a tremendous help in locating and transporting the suspect, as well to Mayor Altomare, Lt. Leffel and Butch [Donnalley] and his crew," Soldano said. "We all worked as a team and that's how we are successful in law enforcement here in Leetonia."

Kevin Howell can be reached at khowell@salemnews.net