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LIBERTY – A Youngstown man remained in the Trumbull County jail Monday evening after being accused of resisting officers following a pursuit on Halloween night.
Briston Ashburn, 46, faces charges of resisting arrest, driving under suspension and failure to comply in Girard Municipal Court.
According to a police report, an officer on patrol in a lot between Belmont Avenue and Tibbetts Wick Road noticed a white Dodge Charger with dark tinted windows, a black spoiler and temporary registration drive up to a red light and accelerate hard as soon as it turned green, then stop.
After seeing the police cruiser pull out behind it, the vehicle accelerated hard and its tires began spinning, resulting in the vehicle fish tailing and nearly causing it to accelerate into the car beside it.
The report states the officer tried conducting a traffic stop, but the driver continued to hard accelerate, failed to stop and continued at high speeds until slowing and entering into the Kline’s Farm development on Kline’s Drive.
As the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over again, the driver accelerated hard again and began traveling at an estimated 80 to 90 mph in a posted 25 mph residential zone, with multiple vehicles parked on the road and one coming from the opposite direction, the report states.
The officer terminated the pursuit because of the area and speeds in question. The report states that an officer found the vehicle at a Sampson Drive residence, and after briefing another officer, he found that the Dodge had been captured on several Belmont Flock cameras shortly before the pursuit, and all officers went to the Sampson address to investigate.
Officers found a man at the residence, later identified as Ashburn, and they spoke with a woman at the residence, who said Ashburn should have been the driver. The report states the woman said she was on the phone with Ashburn when he was driving recklessly, which was determined to be around the time of the pursuit.
Ashburn allegedly became “very agitated” and began aggressively posturing up and pulling away from officers as an officer attempted to pat him down for weapons, and he was handcuffed and placed in the back of a cruiser.
The woman allowed officers inside the residence and learned of the situation, reaffirming the car belonged to Ashburn and allowed officers to access the garage where it was being kept, further confirming it was the vehicle that had eluded police.
The report states it appeared the vehicle ran over multiple tools and struck another vehicle in the garage, with the officer noting the vehicle had multiple open alcoholic beverages inside and Ashburn was intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.
As Ashburn was informed of his arrest and officers were switching handcuffs, Ashburn allegedly began ignoring the officer, posturing up and coming face-to-face with another officer, the report states.
The report states Ashburn was ordered to stop resisting, but he refused to comply and continued to resist. Ho additional force was used, and he was not struck or injured.
The report states Ashburn made a threatening statement to the officer he had postured up against, something along the lines of “I’ll see you again,” and continued to yell and argue with officers as the reporting officer handed his citation to him.