Weekend in review: Top stories, photo galleries, multimedia

5/26/2009

Ottawa Hills police shot one of two motorcyclists early Saturday after the pair led them on a short chase in the village, authorities said. Mike McCloskey, 24, of Maumee, the victim, was admitted to Toledo Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition. The chase started about 2:15 a.m. on Indian Road near Central Avenue, Ottawa Hills police said. One of the motorcyclists drove through a grass island at Central Avenue and Indian Road and then stopped across the street in the westbound lane of Central.

Former Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber resigned as a columnist with the Toledo Free Press after being accused of plagiarism in a column about Memorial Day, according to a posting on the tabloid's Web site Friday night. The column titled "The history of Memorial Day" appears in the Free Press dated Sunday. The weekly paper was on the newsstands Friday, and Ms. Thurber's column had several paragraphs that were almost word for word what was on Internet sites of the American Legion Auxiliary and the History Channel. Ms. Thurber did not credit either in her column.

A Toledo police sergeant shot and killed a 32-year-old man Sunday morning after a standoff that included gunfire in North Toledo, the shooting of three people, and a hostage situation. Richard D. Carr, who lived at 1956 Allendale Dr. near where the standoff occurred, was shot by a Toledo police sergeant who had entered a home at 1952 Allendale with a police officer.

There will be an empty seat today at Genoa High School's graduation ceremony. A week before the milestone for so many teenagers, senior John Schultz was killed in a four-wheeler accident. The 18-year-old's family - dad Fred, mom Jenise, and older sister Carly - planned to attend the graduation event and accept John's diploma because he was looking forward to this day. "He knew it was going to make a change in his life and he was looking forward to it and happy about it," Jenise Schultz said.

Two people were hurt, one seriously, when their motorcycle struck a deer Saturday on Maumee Western Road in Monclova Township, the Ohio Highway Patrol said. Theodore Beroske, 37, the driver, was listed in serious condition at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center Saturday night, a hospital spokesman said.

Crisp, new American flags dot the lawn at Oakwood Cemetery, marking the graves of U.S. veterans. But along a winding drive in the middle of the public cemetery, a Confederate flag is perched over the grave of Civil War veteran John G. Ernst. Nearby, the Stars and Stripes are posted at the grave of his older brother, George W. Ernst.

Warren County Common Pleas Judge James Heath was found dead in his home yesterday, less than 18 hours after a Saturday evening drunken driving arrest. It was Mr. Heath's second such arrest in seven months. Suicide is suspected, police said. Hamilton Township Police Lt. Jeff Braley said Mr. Heath's wife, Bethany, found the judge dead in the master bedroom of their Nunner Road residence. Officers were called to the home at 2:01 p.m., according to Lieutenant Braley.