YOUNGSTOWN — The Cardinal Joint Fire District has filed a complaint in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court asking a judge shut down Canfield Colonial Motel, 7815 Akron-Canfield Road, Canfield Township.

The complaint cites fire-code violations and other dangerous conditions in seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would prevent anyone from occupying the structure.

The suit states the fire department obtained a search warrant and inspected the motel Oct. 31 and again Dec. 4, finding that all of the structures are a fire danger “due to their want of proper repair, age, dilapidated condition, defective or poorly installed electrical wiring and equipment,” and other issues.

A man answering the telephone at the motel said he was not authorized to answer questions about the suit and asked The Vindicator not to call back.

The listed phone number for Arthur S. and Alice M. Klein, 8281 Akron Canfield Road, who are named as defendants, was not in service. The suit also names Prime Suites LLC and statutory agent Robert P. Campbell of Fairlawn, Ohio, as defendants.

The suit states the fire department wants the business closed and vacated “until such time as the defendants repair, tear down, demolish or otherwise remedy all dangerous conditions and fire code violations presently existing with the Canfield Colonial Motel” or any entity that occupies 7815 Akron Canfield Road .

Filing the complaint was Matthew D. Rarick, fire safety inspector and deputy chief of the fire department. His complaint says the Kleins entered into a land contract with Prime Suites for the sale and operation of the motel June 21, 2016.

But on July 8, 2019, the Kleins filed a foreclosure against Prime Suites. In the foreclosure, the Kleins said they have a 20 percent ownership in Prime Suites and Prime Suites is in breach of ints land contract.

The suit says Todd M. Cleavenger, who owns the rest of the financial interest in Prime Suites, is currently incarcerated. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records indicate that Todd Cleavenger, 43, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Aug. 8 on kidnapping and felonious assault in Summit County.

The Akron Beacon Journal says a jury found Cleavenger, of Barberton, guilty in June of kidnapping and assaulting a woman early Jan. 1, 2019, at her home, causing her significant injuries, including a broken nose.

erunyan@tribtoday.com