An 18-year-old man was robbed of his cellphone in broad daylight Monday afternoon, around 3:30 at the intersection of Kenmore Boulevard and 13th Street Southwest.

The victim told Akron Police that a man walked up behind him, put him in a chokehold and slammed him to the ground, before taking off with the phone.

See more from the Akron Police below: 

(APD) Around 3:30pm yesterday afternoon, officers responded to a robbery at the intersection of Kenmore Boulevard and 13th Street SW.  The victim, an 18 year old male, reported the suspect approached him from behind and put him in a choke hold.  The suspect then threw the victim to the ground and stole the victim’s cell phone.  The suspect fled eastbound on Kenmore Boulevard.

The victim was not injured.

The suspect is a white male, 20 – 30 years old, 5’11”, thin, with blonde or strawberry blonde hair, and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and white shoes.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490; or 330-375-2TIP, or the Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS.  You can also text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637 (Crimes).  Callers can remain anonymous.

Springfield Township Police have a new member of the team: K-9 Brodie!

The German Shepherd all the way from Jessen, Germany, was introduced last with alongside his handler, Officer Shawn Brady. The two will be attending an extensive, 6-week training in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and then Brodie will be ready to help patrol the Township.

All of Brodie's costs are covered by local donors at no cost to the tax payers. 

UPDATE: Tallmadge Police say Destiny Pritchett was found safe. Word from the department is that she ran awway last week. 

-- 

The Tallmadge Police Department is asking for the public's help finding missing 17-year-old Destiny Pritchett. 

According to a release, Pritchett was first reported missing on March 13th. The circumstances, though, are not clear at this time. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Tallmadge Detective Bureau at 330.633.4231. 

UPDATE: A few more details from Tuesday's massive pile-up on Route 8 in Hudson, as officials now say that 25 people were transported to nearby hospitals with varying injuries. Still none that were life-threatening.

Now, the estimated number of cars involved are more like 100, opposed to the 60 initially reported by the City of Hudson.

Reports are that 60 of those nearly 100 vehicles had to be towed, and that 41 are a total loss.

--

Major pile-up along Route 8 North before Route 303 in Hudson started about 3 o'clock with a car that spun out, causing a chain reaction that involved more than 60 cars, according to a release from the city.

Roughly 12 people were taken to area hospitals with varying injuries, none too serious though. Emergency crews from more than 8 surrounding communities responded to the crash that left Route 8 North closed for nearly 4 hours.

The city is asking anyone whose car was towed to call the Hudson Police Department after 8 this morning for more information.

--

(City of Hudson) While we do not have many details at this point, here is updated information on the crash on Rt. 8.

• The crash occurred around 3 pm this afternoon. Initial determination is that the incident was weather related due to icy road surfaces.
• More than 60 vehicles involved
• Approximately 12 individuals transported to area hospitals (exact number and who went where are not available at this time)
• None of the injuries appeared life-threatening.
• We anticipate SR 8 northbound to be open within the next ½ hour.
• We called in mutual aid from more than 8 surrounding jurisdictions to help with the incident.

You can help us by asking any individuals who where involved in the crash to come to the Hudson Police Department AFTER 8 a.m. tomorrow morning or call HPD at 330-342-1800 tomorrow to obtain information about the location of your vehicle and to provide HPD with your information.

(City of Akron) As a result of work being performed by a contractor of the City of Fairlawn, an Akron water line at the intersection of Waltham and Wyant Roads was inadvertently damaged.  The City of Akron Water Division has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for certain customers located in Fairlawn Heights.  The limits of the advisory are shown in red on the enclosed map and listed below by street name. As a precaution, and in accordance with EPA regulations, all customers within this area are advised to boil their water until further notice.   Water used for drinking or cooking should be brought to a full boil for a minimum of 2 minutes and returned to the proper temperature before use.  This advisory will be in effect until further notice, but for a minimum of 24 hours.   Be advised that Akron water customers in the vicinity of this advisory may experience water discoloration because of this water main break.  A release will be issued when the boil water advisory is lifted.  Please contact the Akron Water Distribution Dispatch at 330-375-2420 for further updates.

Customers on the following streets are under a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice:

All Customers on Juno Place, Waltham Rd., Wyant Rd., Addyston Rd., Holgate Rd., Worthington Rd., Kimberly Rd., Brice Rd., Inverness Rd., Somerset Rd, Tinkham Rd., Quaker Ridge Dr., Halifax Rd., Amesbury Rd., Barnstable Rd., Yarmouth Rd., West Fairlawn Blvd., East Fairlawn Blvd., Stockbridge Rd., Sagamore Rd., Wembly Rd., Dow Dr., Lancaster Rd., Audubon Rd. and Audubon Spur.

1. Miller Rd. from Juno Place to Ridgewood Rd

Ridgewood Rd from S. Miller to Halifax

Schocalog Rd from Hampshire Rd to Stone Creek

Hampshire Rd from Ely Rd to Covington Rd

Wolcott Rd from Hampshire to Ridgewood Rd

Ely Rd. from Hampshire Rd to S. Frank Blvd.

S Frank Blvd from Schocalog Rd. to 417 S. Frank Blvd

Kibler Rd. from Stone Creek Allotment to 2657 Kibler Rd

The entire Stone Creek Allotment 

Luna was supposed to be euthanized before she was pulled from a Columbus shelter and brought to Akron... That was three years ago! 

See her story below: 

The opioid epidemic has resulted in virtually countless casualties across the nation, in Ohio, and right here in Akron. One of the unfortunate realities of drug addiction is that it spares no one in its path, claiming victims of all ages, including high school students. 

Faced with the staggering statistics, the Rite Aid Foundation is launching the Prescription Drug Safety Program, a new innovative digital course with the goal of educating high school students on drug abuse prevention, safe prescription drug practices, and more, at Akron-area high schools. 

"This is such an important program, and we're excited that we can do something here in Ohio," which Rite Aid Foundation Director Tracy Henderson pointed out is one of the hardest hit states in the U.S.

Rachel DeMaio was a junior in high school when she accidentally overdosed after taking a pill laced with carfentanil on October 28, 2016, in the arms of her mother Cindy in their Akron home. It was that date, according to Cindy, that "Rachel's Angels" was formed, a local organization, run by both Cindy and Rachel's high school friends, aimed at educating young people on the dangers of drugs. 

(Cindy DeMaio, Rachel's Angels)

About 20 student members of "Rachel's Angels" were on hand at the unveiling of the new Prescription Drug Safety Program at Firestone CLC Monday, February 25th, giving a crash course on the new program. 

(Charles Tyler, Sr. at Firestone CLC, showing the Prescription Drug Safety Program.)

On hand for the unveiling of the new program were local leaders including Mayor Dan Horrigan and Ohio House Minority Leader, and Firestone graduate, Emilia Sykes, who both agreed that fighting the opioid epidemic starts with young students, who can then help spread the word about the dangers of drug addiction and more. U.S. Representative Tim Ryan (pictured below), who was also there at Firestone, said to the students attending the program Monday, "We try to provide opportunity and you take advantage of it; and this program is about making sure that you can avoid the traps that are so readily available to you in today's society. Be smart. Use your head. We need you."

The Rite Aid Foundation has committed $1.7 Million over the next three years to the Prescription Drug Safety program that they say will expand to more than 400 schools across several states within that timeframe. 

See the full press release on the new Prescription Drug Safety progam launching at Akron Public Schools below:  

Camp Hill, Pa. (February 25, 2019) — In an effort to help address adolescent drug abuse and misuse in Ohio, The Rite Aid Foundation is bringing the Prescription Drug Safety program, an innovative digital course about prescription drug abuse prevention, to Akron-area high schools.

The program, developed by EVERFI, the nation’s leading education technology innovator used in one in seven schools nationwide, will be made available to high schools in Summit and Stark counties, at no cost. Representatives of The Rite Aid Foundation, Congressman Tim Ryan and Akron Public Schools announced the launch of the new program during a press conference and demonstration at Firestone Community Learning Center.

“The abuse of prescription drugs and opioids is a serious national crisis that threatens the health, safety and wellbeing of our young people,” said Tracy Henderson, director of The Rite Aid Foundation and charitable giving initiatives. “One of Rite Aid’s core values is to be a caring neighbor, involved in meaningful ways in the communities we serve, especially if it involves improving the health and wellbeing of children. We are proud to introduce this critical prevention education program and provide Akron-area students with the skills and knowledge to prevent the dangerous cycle of abuse before it occurs.”

The Prescription Drug Safety program uses an evidence-based, public health approach to empower high school students with the skills and knowledge they need to make safe and healthy decisions about prescription drugs. Through interactive scenarios and self-guided activities, students learn the facts about drugs, how to properly use and dispose of them, and how to step in when faced with a situation involving misuse. The course is aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Education Standards and state academic standards.

Ohio is arguably one of the states hardest hit by prescription drug abuse and the opioid epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ohio is among the top five states with the highest rates of opioid-related deaths. In 2017, there were 5,111 opioid-related overdose deaths in Ohio—more than double the national average. To help combat the opiate crisis, Ohio is investing more than $1 billion a year to help battle drug abuse and addiction at the state and local levels.

“There isn’t a community in the United States that hasn’t been affected by the opioid epidemic. It demands our full attention and requires not only treatment but prevention as well. It’s partnerships like Rite Aid and EVERFI that will help in educating our young people to make safe, sound, and healthy decisions about prescription drugs. With this kind of outreach and awareness, we can tackle the drug abuse ravaging our nation and prevent any more opioid overdose deaths from ever happening again,” said Congressman Tim Ryan, co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus and member of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic.

Akron Public Schools is implementing the six-lesson online Prescription Drug Safety program as part of the health education program. Firestone Community Learning Center is the first Akron-area school to integrate the program into its curriculum. Over the next year, a total of twenty local high schools will activate the program.

“The education and enrichment of our children is the driving force within our community. We must equip them to become visionaries of change and contribute to our community in a positive way,” said superintendent of Akron Public Schools, David W. James. “We are extremely grateful to The Rite Aid Foundation for helping us educate our students about such a serious issue. We know this new program will empower them to make healthy decisions and become positive role models in the community.”  

In addition to the activation in Akron-area high schools, as part of its commitment to creating safe and healthy environments for children and teens, The Rite Aid Foundation, through its KidCents program, will also fund the introduction of the Prescription Drug Safety program to high schools in Lucas County, Ohio as well as several communities in Washington, California, Michigan, Oregon and Pennsylvania. In all, The Rite Aid Foundation made a three-year, $1.7 million commitment to the Prescription Drug Safety program, which is expected to reach more than 400 high schools.

Through the KidCents program, members of Rite Aid's loyalty program, wellness+ rewards, can round up their in-store or online purchases to the nearest dollar and donate their change to KidCents. Members can also choose to direct their change to a specific KidCents charity by visiting www.kidcents.com. Through KidCents’ Step Up Fund, The Rite Aid Foundation provides a matching donation of $500 for every $500 a charity raises in contributions through the wellness+ rewards program, up to a maximum of $5,000. For more information, visit www.kidcents.com.

Since its inception in 2001, The Rite Aid Foundation has awarded more than $52 million to nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Rite Aid, through the efforts of its customers, supplier partners and associates, has also raised more than $87 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the country since 1994. 

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with fiscal 2018 annual revenues of $21.5 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at www.riteaid.com.

Akron Public Schools (APS) enrolls more than 21,000 students and employs 3,000 teaching and non-teaching professionals in Northeastern Ohio.  The district, one of the state's largest and most diverse, covers 62 square miles in a city of 195,000. APS educators are committed to rigorous teaching and learning, safe learning centers and community engagement to prepare young people to be well rounded and ready for the challenges of learning that follow in life.  The goal of APS is to be the #1 urban school system in the United States.  For more information about Akron Public Schools, visit AkronSchools.com.

EVERFI, Inc. is the leading education technology company that provides learners of all ages education for the real world, through innovative and scalable digital learning. Founded in 2008, EVERFI has certified over 16 million learners in critical skill areas with more than 4,300 partners in all 50 U.S. States and Canada. EVERFI is an industry convener that builds Networks to tackle the toughest social issues, including the Campus Prevention Network, a coalition of higher education institutions committed to campus sexual assault and alcohol abuse prevention; and the Financial Capability Network, a coalition of industry leaders dedicated to improving financial outcomes for communities across the country. Some of America’s leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EVERFI investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Twitter founder Evan Williams, TPG Growth, and The Rise Fund. 

If you live in Summit County and suffered damage to your home during the wind storm that blew through Northeast Ohio Sunday and early Monday, the County Fiscal Officer has your back!

WKYC's reporting that Fiscal Officer Kristen M. Scalise has announced real estate tax relief is available to property owners who file an Application for Valuation Deduction for Destroyed or Damaged Property.

View the application on the county website here. 

UPDATE: Shortly after the U.S. Marshals released reward information for Tyrell Dumas, he turned himself in to Medina Police. 

-- 

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is asking the public's help finding the Fugitive of the Week, Tyrell Dumas of Medina.

Dumas is wanted on a burglary charge out of Medina County, and is likely connected to at least three different drive-by-shootings in the city of Medina.

See more from the U.S. Marshals Office below: 

--

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Tyrell Dumas. Dumas is wanted by the United States Marshals Service and the Medina Police Department for burglary. Dumas is also the person of interest in at least three drive by shootings in the city of Medina. At this time it is unknown if anyone was injured as a result of the alleged shootings.

Dumas, 23, is a black male, standing approximately 5 feet 10 inches and weighing 160 pounds. His last known address is near the 400 Block of East North Street, Medina. Dumas should be considered armed and dangerous.

If you have any information in reference to Tyrell Dumas, please contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED or Text keyword WANTED and tip to 847411 (tip411). Tipsters can remain anonymous and reward money is available

On Wednesday afternoon, Akron Police Officers responded to a call of a woman overdosing at a gas station on Mogadore Road about noon, according to the report. When they arrived, they found the woman passed out in the front passenger seat of a Buick and an 11 month old baby boy in the back seat.

Paramedics responded to the scene, reviving the woman with narcan, and then transporting her to Akron City.

While police were still there, the child's father, 29-year-old Andrew C. Carter of Mogadore, was arrested when he returned to the car. He's been booked into the Summit County Jail on felony child endangering charges. The baby, meanwhile, is in the custody of Child Services.

The woman later told police they'd bought Fentanyl along Manchester Road.  

--  

(APD) Around noon yesterday, officers responded to an overdose at a gas station in the 2500 block of Mogadore Road.  When officers arrived, they observed an unresponsive female in the front seat of a 1998 Buick Century.  Officers then observed the female’s 11 month old son in the back seat of the car.  While paramedics were administering Narcan to the female, the male driver came over to the car.

Paramedics revived the female and transported her to Akron City Hospital for further treatment.  The adult male, Andrew C. Carter, 29, of Herbert Street in Mogadore, was charged with child endangering and booked into the Summit County Jail.  The child was placed into the custody of the Summit County Child Services.

The female stated they bought Fentanyl on Manchester Road.