On Sunday, December 7, 2008, at approximately 1:23am, an officer, while on patrol on North Main Street and West Martin Street, observed a vehicle weaving from side to side within its lane of travel and several times observed the vehicle to run off of the right side of the roadway to the right of the vehicle.  As the vehicle crossed over the State Route 2 overpass it again ran off the road to the right side of the vehicle and nearly struck the cement wall and a guardrail.  A traffic stop was initiated and an investigation was conducted.  The driver, Ashley Kopronica, age 23 of Amherst, was arrested and charged with Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated, State Refusal, Marked Lanes, Weaving, Disorderly Conduct Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct Persisting, Disturbing the Peace, Obstructing Official Business, Resisting Arrest, and Assault on a Police Officer.

During the month of December, the Amherst Police Department became aware of information of drug trafficking in the area of Amherst High School or involving high school students.  Persons involved in the information were later identified as a 16 year old student.  The information this officer received was corroborated through further investigation.  On Friday, December 12, 2008, acting on the previously obtained and corroborated information, officers from the Amherst Police Department and the Lorain County Drug Task Force were able to set up surveillance on the juvenile suspect who was the passenger in a vehicle.   This vehicle was being driven by another male juvenile driver who was later identified.  The suspect vehicle pulled into a local parking lot.  The juvenile suspect got out of that vehicle and went to another vehicle driven Jeff Strugeon, age 19 of Lorain.   Within a few minutes another vehicle pulled into the parking lot next to the next to the first vehicle.  The juvenile suspect got out, went over to the third vehicle and got in the passenger side.  Officers observed what appeared to be a hand-to-hand transaction between the juvenile and the driver of the third vehicle.  The juvenile went back to the vehicle driven by Strugeon and then back to his/her original vehicle driven by the other 16 year old juvenile.   Several people were detained out of this incident and the original 16 year old suspect and Mr. Sturgeon were arrested and charged with Trafficking in Marijuana, Possession of Criminal Tools, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana.

On Friday, December 12, 2008, at 11:36pm, officers were dispatched to Moosehead Grill, South Leavitt Road in reference to three males dressed in camouflage trying to get in the front and then back door.  Upon arrival, officers pulled into the rear of the building and noticed three males dressed in camouflage and carhart clothing operating on four wheelers leaving the property in a northwest direction.  The officer used his spotlight to illuminate the riders and activated his air horn several times to get the males to stop.  All three males ignored the officer’s signals and continued fleeing the area.  Upon a further check of the area all three males and the four wheelers were located and an investigation was conducted.  Michael Allen, age 25 of Avon, Timothy Herbert, age 25 of Avon, and Kyle Shafer, age 25 of Amherst, were cited for Prohibited Operation.  

On Saturday, December 13, 2008, at 2:16am, an officer, while on patrol on Church Street, observed a vehicle negotiate a prohibited right turn on red at the intersection of Church Street and Cleveland Avenue.  A traffic stop was initiated and an investigation was conducted.  The driver, David Rivera, age 33 of Lorain, was arrested and charged with Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated, State Refusal, Driving under Suspension, Seat Belt, Expired Plates, and Red Light/Prohibited Right Turn. 

On Saturday, December 13, 2008, at approximately 3:11am, an officer, while on patrol at the Heritage Presbyterian Church, North Leavitt Road, observed a vehicle that failed to stop for the red traffic signal displayed for southbound traffic on North Leavitt Road at Spruce Tree Lane.   A traffic stop was initiated and an investigation was conducted.  The driver, Marie Shuck, age 19 of Lorain, was arrested and charged with Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated, BAC over .08, Underage Consumption, and Red Light. 

On Saturday, December 13, 2008, at approximately 3:13pm, officers were dispatched to a residence on Meadowview Drive in reference to a domestic in progress.  Upon arrival, the officers met with both parties and an investigation was conducted.  According to the victim, her boyfriend injured her and when she attempted to call earlier he took her phone and broke it.  Brian Haywood, age 39 of Amherst, was arrested and charged with Domestic Violence and Disrupting Public Service.