A man who has been arrested multiple times in the past months now faces a first-degree felony charge of aggravated arson.
Ernest J. Harber, 31, at large, was at CVS Pharmacy, 143 E. Sandsuky Ave., around 6:30 p.m. and allegedly set fire to a package containing a cellular phone and removed the phone while in a women’s bathroom at the store.
He then dumped the smoldering packaging into a trash can before leaving with the stolen phone.
Trash inside the can began to burn and employees reported a smell of smoke in the building. Evidence of arson was found by firefighters of the Bellefontaine Fire & EMS Department.
Harber was located at Mary Rutan Hospital and was taken into custody after his treatment there. He was lodged in the Logan County Jail on the arson charge and a misdemeanor charge of theft.
Driver charged with OVI
Gayleen M. Parker, 57, of 809 Whetstone Court, was charged Wednesday with operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. She also was issued a traffic citation for having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
An officer on patrol pulled up behind Parker’s pickup truck just before midnight as it was stopped at Lost Creek Drive and Shawnee Trace.
He noted the motor was running but Parker was not continuing driving from the stop.
After a brief wait, he activated his overhead cruiser lights, exited his vehicle and approached the driver’s side of Parker’s pickup.
He observed the motorist passed out in the driver’s seat and an open can of alcoholic beverage in the center console cupholder.
She was awakened and asked to step out of the vehicle. The officer reported she was groggy and confused, her speech was slurred and staggered as she walked to the rear of the pickup.
She declined to participate in field sobriety tests. Officers took her into custody and transported her to the department’s offices. There, she provided a valid breathalyzer sample of 0.09.
She was released to her daughter.
Man admits hitting neighbor
Robert Castle, 57, of 515 E. Chillicothe Ave., was lodged in jail Monday after he admitted hitting Dallas McKinley, also of 515 E. Chillicothe.
Castle claimed McKinley had struck Castle’s dog.