Solon Police Blotter: OVI Arrests, Suspected Psilocybin and a String of Thefts

Solon police responded to a range of calls this week, including two drunken driving arrests, a warrant arrest tied to suspected mushrooms, and several theft reports across the city. Officers also investigated a credit card fraud case and a trespassing incident at an apartment complex. Below is a summary of notable reports from Aug. 10 through Aug. 16, organized by category. Criminal Trespass Aug. 11: Management at an apartment complex reported finding a man sleeping in a laundry room. He ran when discovered and was later located nearby on foot. Officers arrested a 23 year old man and charged him with criminal trespass. The same man had been arrested at the same complex in late July after he was found staying inside an unoccupied apartment. Fraud Aug. 10: A 64 year old Solon woman reported six fraudulent charges totaling $2,200 on her credit card between July 30 and Aug. 3. The charges included several northeast Ohio restaurants and a payment to a Twinsburg furniture store, where a suspect picked up an $1,800 couch before the fraud was discovered. Twinsburg police will investigate the couch pickup, while Solon police continue looking into the remaining charges, which also included a payment to a mobile phone carrier. Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI) Aug. 13: An officer followed a red Jeep driving erratically on Aurora Road and pulled it over. The driver smelled of alcohol, slurred his speech and struggled to answer questions. At one point he mistook the officer's flashlight for a Taser. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was arrested. At the jail, he refused a breath test, triggering an automatic license suspension. A 46 year old Cleveland man was charged with OVI, an improper turn, a marked lanes violation and an open container violation. Officers found a cup of suspected whiskey inside the car. Aug. 15: An officer stopped a black Honda Civic after watching it follow another vehicle too closely and make an abrupt lane change on Aurora Road. The driver could not explain damage on the passenger side of his car and performed poorly on field sobriety tests. He was arrested and taken to jail, where he was unable to complete a breath test. Officers offered a urine test instead, which he agreed to take. The sample was sent to a lab, with further charges possible depending on the results. A 25 year old Concord Township man was charged with OVI, following too closely and a marked lanes violation. Theft Aug. 14: A loss prevention employee at a grocery store on Aurora Road detained a woman accused of placing items in shopping bags and walking past checkout without paying. Officers cited a 63 year old Cleveland woman for theft and warned her for trespassing. She was taken to a hospital after complaining of shortness of breath. The stolen merchandise was valued at $285. Aug. 15: A 22 year old Cleveland woman told police an acquaintance took cash from her purse after spending the night at a hotel on Enterprise Parkway. She said the man left in his car with her cash, personal items and an iPad after she confronted him. Officers contacted the man, who came to the police station to give a statement. He was arrested and charged with theft. Aug. 16: A 22 year old Solon woman reported that someone broke into her car overnight while it was parked at an apartment complex. She told police that $600 in cash, an iPhone, a bank card and other items were missing. She believed she may have left the car unlocked, and officers found no damage to the vehicle. No suspects were identified, and the case is closed. Warrant and Drug Arrests Aug. 10: A loss prevention employee at a grocery store on Aurora Road called police after a suspected shoplifter left in a blue Kia. Officers stopped the car nearby and detained the driver while investigating. The store later determined no merchandise was missing and declined to pursue charges. However, officers discovered the driver had an outstanding warrant from a previous theft case at the same store, along with suspected psilocybin mushrooms in his backpack. A 35 year old South Euclid man was taken to jail and charged with drug possession and driving without a license. He was warned for trespassing. A 24 year old Akron woman riding in the car was cited for allowing him to drive without a valid license. The warrant stemmed from an earlier incident in which the man and another suspect were accused of taking $700 in liquor from the same store. The mushrooms will be sent to a lab for testing. Aug. 14: An officer recognized a man from a previous encounter while patrolling a residential street and learned he had an outstanding warrant from Aurora police. The officer detained the man, and Aurora officers arrived to make the arrest. A 58 year old Solon man faced warrants for drug possession and drug paraphernalia.