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Do IT this week: Layering
By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 08:54 p.m. EST, Nov 17, 2009
The license plate on a stolen trailer led police to a suspect in a hit-skip that killed a motorcyclist on Interstate 480 in Twinsburg in September.
Police said Tuesday that Ricky L. Melton, of Fishcreek Road in Stow, and another suspect are accused of stealing the trailer; Melton also is accused of putting his own plate on it.
That same day, Sept. 15, the trailer became unhitched from the pickup truck that was towing it and was struck by motorcyclist Michael K. Hull, 48, of Ravenna. Hull died Sept. 30.
Twinsburg Detective Sgt. Greg Feketik said Tuesday that police tracked down Melton shortly after the accident. But Feketik said it wasn't until Detective Greg Kopniske and others gathered more information that police had enough evidence to arrest Melton, as well as Michael H. Rusu, 54, of North Main Street, Akron.
Melton and Rusu were arrested Monday and appeared Tuesday in Stow Municipal Court on charges of involuntary manslaughter, a felony.
Bond was set at $500,000 cash for each. Melton was taken to the Summit County Jail on Tuesday; Rusu was expected to arrive later.
Feketik said that when officers spoke with Melton in September, he denied anything connected with the accident.
Melton said he was the victim of a theft — that someone had stolen his trailer, along with the plate, Feketik said.
''Obviously we weren't buying that story,'' Feketik said, ''but we didn't have enough to arrest him'' in September.
Feketik on Tuesday declined to say what additional information was gathered between mid-September and this week.
According to police, the trailer was being towed east on Interstate 480, east of state Route 91, about 10:30 p.m., when it became unhitched. It struck a car, crossed the median and ended up in the westbound lanes.
Hull, traveling west on a 2004 Harley-Davidson, hit the trailer and was thrown from the motorcycle. He landed in the westbound lanes, where two other vehicles struck him.
In addition to involuntary manslaughter, police charged Melton and Rusu each with theft and receiving stolen property, also felonies.
Melton also faces a charge of failure to stop after an accident, a felony.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
The license plate on a stolen trailer led police to a suspect in a hit-skip that killed a motorcyclist on Interstate 480 in Twinsburg in September.
Police said Tuesday that Ricky L. Melton, of Fishcreek Road in Stow, and another suspect are accused of stealing the trailer; Melton also is accused of putting his own plate on it.
That same day, Sept. 15, the trailer became unhitched from the pickup truck that was towing it and was struck by motorcyclist Michael K. Hull, 48, of Ravenna. Hull died Sept. 30.
Twinsburg Detective Sgt. Greg Feketik said Tuesday that police tracked down Melton shortly after the accident. But Feketik said it wasn't until Detective Greg Kopniske and others gathered more information that police had enough evidence to arrest Melton, as well as Michael H. Rusu, 54, of North Main Street, Akron.
Melton and Rusu were arrested Monday and appeared Tuesday in Stow Municipal Court on charges of involuntary manslaughter, a felony.
Bond was set at $500,000 cash for each. Melton was taken to the Summit County Jail on Tuesday; Rusu was expected to arrive later.
Feketik said that when officers spoke with Melton in September, he denied anything connected with the accident.
Melton said he was the victim of a theft — that someone had stolen his trailer, along with the plate, Feketik said.
''Obviously we weren't buying that story,'' Feketik said, ''but we didn't have enough to arrest him'' in September.
Feketik on Tuesday declined to say what additional information was gathered between mid-September and this week.
According to police, the trailer was being towed east on Interstate 480, east of state Route 91, about 10:30 p.m., when it became unhitched. It struck a car, crossed the median and ended up in the westbound lanes.
Hull, traveling west on a 2004 Harley-Davidson, hit the trailer and was thrown from the motorcycle. He landed in the westbound lanes, where two other vehicles struck him.
In addition to involuntary manslaughter, police charged Melton and Rusu each with theft and receiving stolen property, also felonies.
Melton also faces a charge of failure to stop after an accident, a felony.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, Oh
Posted 07:30 AM, 11/18/2009
Wow, what a couple of low lifes and as a result a man loses his life over their stupidity...well done by the Twinsburg Officers !
NorthernWestVirginny, WV
Posted 10:03 AM, 11/18/2009
...and they should both fry for this. It seems that more often these days that people are fleeing the scene of an accident that they caused. Were they drunk or just lacking insurance?? I dunno. But the rules need changed because once again, it is the law abiding citizens that are being screwed and then having to pay for it.
