The jury trial of Logan D. Malik, 26, of Lisbon began Tuesday in U.S. District Court with jury selection, opening statements and testimony.

Malik, a former Washingtonville police officer, is on trial before Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan in Cleveland on one count of impersonating a U.S. marshal. The trial resumes today.

Boardman police charged Malik, then 25, in May 2022 with a misdemeanor charge of impersonating a police officer.

Officers were called to the Boardman Holiday Inn and Sheetz gas station, where witnesses said a man was claiming to be a U.S. marshal. Malik’s federal indictment alleges he claimed to be a marshal gathering information about a hate group. He was arrested April 24, 2022.

Washingtonville police Chief Kenneth Foust told The Vindicator last year that Malik worked as a part-time Washingtonville police officer for about four months and was “doing pretty good and always showing up for work.” Foust said he terminated Malik shortly after the Boardman incident.

When Malik was indicted federally in the case, the local charge was dismissed.

In December, Malik’s attorney asked for him to be evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist, saying Malik was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder in 2019 “due to being a first responder to a train accident.” He was prescribed more than five anxiety medications over three years, the filing states.

At least two of the medications “caused Mr. Malik to have side effects, including a feeling of being ‘cut off’ and ’emotionless’ and having irritability,” the filing states. “After other failed attempts to adjust his medications, Mr. Malik was again prescribed the (two drugs) two weeks before” the April 24, 2022, incident resulting in the charges, because “it was the most productive way to treat his sudden onset of increased anxiety.”

The December filing added that “Mr. Malik’s behavior on April 24, 2022, suggests that the prescribed medications were problematic and affected his mindset negatively. Mr. Malik was not mentally aware of the incident and does not remember anything about the incident until he was arrested and in a police vehicle.”

Malik was evaluated, but Judge Breenan ruled in April that Malik “was able to appreciate the consequences of his acts and that he was not insane at the time of the conduct” and was deemed competent to stand trial.

On Oct. 1, 2019, the Salem News reported that Sally B. Davies, 89, was killed when a train passing through Leetonia struck the car in which she was riding with her husband, Ronald Davies, 92, in late September 2019, and that Malik tried to save her but was unable.

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