BOARDMAN 2 accused in robbery arraigned, still in jail

Staff report

BOARDMAN

A man and woman accused of robbing a Home Depot store remained in jail Tuesday after their arraignment in Mahoning County Area Court here.

Christopher Karis, 28, of Struthers, is accused of robbing the Home Depot on Southern Boulevard on Saturday and Brittany Bachani, 21, of Boardman, is accused of driving the get-away car, police said.

Karis is charged with robbery and being held without bond, while Bachani is charged with complicity to robbery, hit-skip, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of drug abuse instruments.

Bachani is being held on $14,000 bond and also had a warrant for theft from Warren police when she was arrested by Boardman officers.

Both will be back in court Dec. 20 for a hearing.

Police said Karis, who was arrested Monday, tried to shoplift at Home Depot and then fought with a security guard before fleeing in a car.

Bachani, the car’s driver, was involved in a hit-skip accident near Meadowbrook Avenue and was arrested Saturday at the Family Dollar on Market Street, according to reports. Bachani had needles in her pocket and admitted to police she had a switchblade in her purse, officers said.

The two already were accused of stealing video games from Best Buy on U.S. Route 224 Nov. 18. In that case, Karis is charged with theft and Bachani is charged with theft, complicity to theft and possessing drug paraphernalia and drug-abuse instruments, according to court records.

The next day, Nov. 19, Karis was accused of shoplifting video games at Sears in Southern Park Mall. Police said Karis was arrested later that day at Southern Boulevard and Mathews Road. Karis was a passenger in a car driven by Amber Zadunajsky, 24, of Youngstown.

Zadunajsky was charged with possessing drug abuse instruments and Karis was charged with theft and possessing drug paraphernalia and drug abuse instruments, reports state.