Akron
Fatal chase
AKRON: An Akron man was killed early Sunday after police say he ignored orders to stop, sped away and crashed into a utility pole.
Police identified the man as Tiawn Barham, 29. An autopsy conducted Monday by the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office showed Barham died from injuries suffered in the crash near North Arlington and North Forge streets. Toxicology test results are pending, a spokesman said.
According to police, officers tried to pulled over Barham’s 1995 BMW sedan for running a red light about 6 a.m. Sunday in the area of East Market and North Arlington streets.
Police say Barham refused to stop and sped away, with officers in pursuit. Police say the officers lost sight of the car near North Arlington and Hazel streets. When they drove further on North Arlington, they noticed debris and Barham’s car near a set of railroad tracks.
Officers believe Barham lost control of his vehicle and went off the side of the road and into a utility pole and a railroad crossing gate. The car flipped and landed on a set of railroad tracks, police said.
Barham was free on a $5,000 personal bond while awaiting trial on charges of cocaine possession and carrying a concealed weapon. He was indicted in November in Summit County Common Pleas Court. In 2009, he was convicted of driving with a suspended license, according to online court records. His license remained suspended.

Handyman charged
AKRON: An Akron repairman hired to work at a family friend’s home is accused of beating, choking, biting and raping the resident.
Stephen M. Jiles, 53, is being held in the Summit County Jail on charges of rape and felonious assault. The woman, 52, was treated for injuries at a local hospital.
She told police that Jiles routinely performs repairs for her family and he came to her Otto Avenue home Thursday night to make an unspecified repair in the basement.
The woman told police that Jiles attacked her, choking her until she couldn’t breathe, according to a report. He is accused of tossing her to the ground and punching her in the face several times, biting the back of her shoulder and raping her.
Jiles was arrested at his Patterson Avenue home the next day.

Attempted heist
AKRON: An Akron barber dared a robber to shoot him during an attempted heist Friday night.
The robber pulled the trigger, but the weapon did not fire, the barber told police. The gunman fled with no cash.
The gunman entered the Grant Street Barber Shop about 7 p.m. Friday, pulled out a gun and demanded money. The barber told police he refused the gunman’s demands and instead demanded the robber shoot him. Police say the robber did try to shoot, but the weapon failed.
Police describe the robber as a black male in his late teens. He wore a black skull cap, black face mask and a black coat and sweatpants.
Anyone with information is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips may be left at http://akronohio.gov/asp/tip.html.

Sub shop robbed
AKRON: A Subway sandwich worker was robbed on the city’s east side.
A female worker at the shop at 2068 E. Market St. said she had just finished a man’s order about 10 a.m. Friday when he placed an object in her back and forced her to the floor. The robber took $197 from the register and fled. The worker, 53, was not harmed.
The robber is described as white, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing about 185 pounds. He had short brown hair and wore a blue jacket with red writing, a flannel shirt and blue jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips may be left at http://akronohio.
gov/asp/tip.html.

Fire injures man
AKRON: One resident suffered burns in a house fire at 97 Shaefer St. in Akron early Monday.
The Akron Fire Department said the electrical fire started around 2:30 a.m. on the third floor of the house.
The fire caused $23,000 in damage, the fire department said.
The name and condition of the injured person was not released by the fire department.

Center reopens
AKRON: Summit Lake Community Center, which has been without power for nearly two weeks, will reopen today, at least six weeks earlier than expected.
The community center had been without electricity since a car struck a utility pole at Lakeshore and Kenmore boulevards about 9 a.m. Jan. 3. The collision caused extensive property damage, including rendering a transformer inoperable.
Service Director Rick Merolla thought it could take six to 10 weeks for a used or new transformer to be located and installed. FirstEnergy Corp., however, found a similar-sized transformer in Cleveland and brought it to Akron to replace the damaged one.
“We really wanted the community center up and running as quickly as possible, but this worked out even better than we dared to hope,” Merolla said in a news release.

HUDSON SCHOOLS
Board meeting time
HUDSON: The Hudson school board has changed the starting time for its meetings from 7:30 to 7 p.m. for 2012.
The change will take effect at its Jan. 23 meeting, with the location remaining in the High School Media Center.
Meeting dates are scheduled for the second and fourth Mondays of the month, with exceptions in May, November and December.
David Zuro was re-elected as board president, and Steven DiMauro as vice president.
The board has one new member this year, James Field, who was elected to a four-year term in November of 2011. He replaces former board president, Joy York who did not seek re-election last fall.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Kickoff fundraiser
AKRON: Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen M. Scalise will hold her campaign kickoff fundraiser from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday at Primo’s Downtown, 271 S. Main St.
Donations are $25, $50 and $100. Checks can be made payable to Friends of Kristen Scalise. For details, call 330-873-9594.

PORTAGE COUNTY
Pornography arrest
STREETSBORO: A 66-year-old man was arrested Friday on child pornography charges.
David T. Peters was indicted last week by a Portage County grand jury on 20 counts of possessing sexually oriented material involving a minor and disseminating sexually oriented material.
Police began investigating Peters in October based on leads generated by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a law-enforcement group funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Peters is being held at the Portage County Jail pending an initial court appearance.