Youngstown man leads police on a chase through Austintown

AUSTINTOWN — A Youngstown man was arrested after taking police on a car chase through the township.

The chase began just before 1 a.m. Thursday in the Giant Eagle parking lot, Mahoning Avenue, when an officer noticed Frank Crone, 30, of Overlook Avenue.

The officer noted that Crone, who had several bulges under his shirt, had been warned on April 16 by police to stay off Giant Eagle property due to suspected involvement in previous thefts. The officer said as he approached, Crone got into a green Oldsmobile Regency and drove away at high speed.

Two officers, one in a police cruiser and one in his private vehicle, followed Crone in a pursuit that spanned several township roads, including Mahoning and Kimberly avenues, Norquest Boulevard and Wickliffe Circle. The chase ended at Elmwood Avenue after Crone crashed his car. He was trapped inside the vehicle, and the Austintown Fire Department and Lanes Ambulance were called to extract him. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown for treatment of minor injuries.

Police recovered 15 packages of Prilosec from under Crone’s sweatshirt. He was charged with theft, criminal trespass, driving with a temporary license suspension and fleeing.