Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy spoke out and called himself a whistleblower, but he refused to answer questions from the I-Team.

Garfield Heights Municipal Court Judge Deborah Nicastro recently said officials with Newburgh Heights were breaking the law since they stopped filing Interstate 77 speed camera tickets in Court.

Now, the Chief says to blame the Newburgh Hts. Mayor, not him.

"I am seeking whistleblower protection for violations of law committed by Mayor Gigi Traore,” Police Chief John Majoy said during Wednesday’s Newburgh Heights Village Council meeting.

He said he was unaware the tickets were not being filed in court

"I did not have anything to do with the decision to not file the citations in court," Majoy said.

The chief said when he found out what was going on, he emailed officials at the company that processes the camera tickets. He instructed the company to file the tickets with the Court. But, Chief Majoy said the Mayor blocked him.

The I-Team’s Ed Gallek pressed the chief for answers, asking how he didn’t know the tickets were not being filed in court. Especially since he is the top cop in the Village, and administers the camera ticket program.

"I am not authorized to speak to you, so my statement stands right up there (motioning to where he spoke at the meeting),” Majoy said. "What part of that don't you understand? I'm not allowed to speak on that, Ed.  I spoke in a public forum."

Tens of thousands of drivers receive camera tickets from Newburgh Heights. In March, the Village stopped filing the tickets in court. The Court said, that way, the Village did not give up any money in filing fees.

The Mayor did not show up at the Council meeting. We found her a few feet away from Council chambers, sitting in a locked office. We tried to talk to her through a glass window, but she refused to respond.

Weeks ago, Judge Nicastro ordered the village to file all camera tickets in court and pay more than $25,000 in fees. The I-Team learned late Thursday that the village has paid the fees, and it has begun the process of getting the tickets filed.

The child, Curtis, was murdered after he was taken out of a foster home and returned to his biological mother. 

His mother, Timmeka Eggleton, now faces a murder charge. She’s being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on a $1 million bond.

“Our son should be alive today,” the foster mother said. “He brought so much joy."  

His foster father said they had the child since he was seven days old.

“Everything, he meant everything to our family,” the foster father said.

Records show, in March, a Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge gave Curtis back to his biological mother permanently.

The foster parents, who asked not to be identified, said they loved Curtis and wanted to adopt him. 

They said they had told the court of their concerns about Curtis’s safety, but, in July of 2022, Cuyahoga County Juvenile Judge Alison Floyd granted custody to Eggleton.  

At that time, employees with Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services were still doing visits and checking on Curtis’ safety.

In March, Judge Floyd held a hearing to determine if protective supervision should be terminated.

Attorney Russ Gates, who was the attorney appointed to represent Curtis, filed a motion in court asking the judge to continue the hearing in March, saying Eggleton is “denying” his ability to investigate the child’s circumstances.

“The child’s mother, Timmeka Eggleton, on March 8, 2023, called me and stated I would not be permitted into her house. I was to visit with the child outside only. I was to be accompanied by someone else and all visits must be pre-arranged; i.e., unannounced visits are not permitted,”  Gates’ motion states. “The mother was verbally abusive, beyond what is typical, speaking in a very insulting and demeaning manner, as well as swearing and being dishonest. She also stated I was not to speak to her of anything she did not want to discuss; it was not clear if she meant permanently or just on that call.”

Gates further noted in the motion he was concerned about the mother’s “abusive, unstable behavior” being directed at the children.

Despite Gates’ concerns, the judge denied his motion, stating progress has been made alleviating the cause of the removal of the child from the home. The judge noted Eggleton had completed parenting classes and gone through mental health treatment.

“The court finds that the child’s continued residence in or return to the home of the mother, Timmeka Eggleton will not be contrary to the child’s best interest,” the judge’s order states. “The placement of the child is appropriate. The continued supervision is not necessary and not in the child’s best interest.”

The judge granted legal custody to Eggleton and terminated protective supervision on March 22. Less than three months later, Curtis was dead.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Curtis died of blunt force trauma.

A former caseworker with the county said she felt Curtis should have stayed with the foster parents.

"It was one of the driving factors that led me to leave the agency,” the former caseworker said. "I'm trying to keep children safe."

She said she broke out in tears when she learned Curtis had died.

Cuyahoga County officials tell the I-Team they are beginning an investigation into the entire case, looking back at everything done by the court, social workers and the parents. And, the county says it is cooperating with police.

We also reached out to the county prosecutor’s office to discuss the matter. A spokesperson released the following statement:

“Our office represented the Cuyahoga County Division of Family Services in this matter and any legal action we took would be based upon the agency’s assessment and determination. The agency is currently reviewing this matter and you would need to direct your questions on it to DCFS. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing this matter for criminal charges."

Judge Floyd did not return our calls asking to discuss Curtis’s case.

"He had a loving family,” the foster mother said.  “He should be in our arms."

This comes to light as the Ohio Attorney General has issued a warning to watch out if you spot an incredible deal to see America’s biggest pop star.

Kathy Turle-Waldron, of Twinsburg, turned to the I-Team after she says someone hacked into her social media account and posted an offer of tickets for sale in her name.

It looked like a great deal on seats to an upcoming Taylor Swift show in Cincinnati.

"I couldn't log in. It wouldn't accept my password or anything. I felt extremely powerless," she said. "I even got a phone call from an individual who was very upset with me that I hadn't transferred the tickets yet. And, at that point, I was like, ‘Look, I don't have any tickets. It's a scam.’"

You might wonder why anyone would think Kathy had a legit offer to sell tickets to see Taylor Swift, but she has earned a lot of trust as a mom, a gymnastics coach, and she has even served as a school board member.

So, the fake concert deal fooled people. One victim spoke to the I-Team, explaining why she believed it.

"It was a local person who was looking to get rid of their tickets," she said. "I wasn’t aware of the scams happening. Without that knowledge, I played into it. Between me and my sister, we lost $350 each."

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said, "I'm sounding the alarm because I'm expecting it."

Yost issued a warning to watch out for concert ticket scams. Reports have surfaced nationwide about scams involving tickets to see Taylor Swift.

"So, if you think you've been scammed, we want to help. Call the attorney general's office," Yost said.

Kathy says someone even called her trying to get personal information.

So, we called that number. A guy claimed he could help. He also said Kathy's account had been hacked from outside the country. Later, he texted and asked us to call back, but when we started to record the conversation, he hung up.

Plenty of crooks are trying to make a buck off of a megastar and, you see, they can be pretty slick doing it.

"I never thought it would get to the level that it did. I still can't get into the account," Kathy said.

Kathy says her Facebook account had been hacked. For three days we reached out to Facebook without any response.

Here are tips from the attorney general and a way to report scams:

• Be skeptical of offers that are too good to be true. Sellers, especially on online marketplaces, may offer tickets at face value (or below) for events that are sold out or in high demand, but these offers may be scams. Some sellers may say they need to sell tickets quickly, falsely claiming, for example, that they have a medical emergency or an overseas military assignment.
• Use reputable third-party resale sites. To protect yourself, deal with reputable businesses instead of individuals who are not associated with an event. Beware of websites that mimic popular ticket seller’s logos or the tour logos.
• Before providing any payment or personal information, do a soundcheck. Research a seller’s reputation. Search the seller’s name, username, email address, phone number and other details for information. Even if you find no negative information, don’t assume that the seller is trustworthy. Some con artists change names regularly.
• Be wary of sellers who change their tune on specific forms of payment. Con artists often request payment methods that are difficult to trace or recover, such as gift cards, crypto, cash or wire transfer. If you’re using a mobile wallet or a peer-to-peer payment service such as Venmo or Zelle, be sure you understand the protections the service provides (or doesn’t) before making a transaction. 
• Consider paying with a credit card. With a credit card, if a problem arises, you generally have greater protection and the ability to dispute charges, unlike some other payment methods.

Consumers who believe they have been defrauded should immediately report the details to the company they used to make the payment.

Ohioans can report scams to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or by calling 800-282-0515.

“No one was arrested for his murder and I was never going to let it go,”  Mahoney said.

According to police, Szakacs suffered a dozen broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and bruises all over his body.

The case was extremely heart-wrenching for Mahoney, who was still pushing for answers in her mother’s unsolved murder. Mahoney was just 6 years old when her mother Carla Lynn Szakacs was shot and killed on June 21, 1975.

“With my mom's case being 48 years old, I just expected to live the rest of my life not knowing who killed my brother,” Mahoney told the Fox 8 I-Team.

Christine and her aunt, Sandy Ferko, would go to the area where her brother was beaten on West 47^th Street in Cleveland and the area where her mother was killed on East 119^th Street and Buckeye Road every few months and hang posters, in the hope for answers.

“We wanted someone to have a heart and come out and at least give some information,” Ferko said.

This year, the two reached out to state agents, sending an email, asking for help with the unsolved cases. That email was forwarded to Cleveland Homicide Detective Aaron Reese.

“I took a look at the case and there were some things that really stood out to me, some things we could take immediate action on and we did,” Reese said. “I reviewed the case file along with Sgt. Joe Rini and we made a game plan. We started interviews and following up on the investigation.”

In just a few days, an arrest was made.

“The detective had a heart, he really cared and it showed,” Ferko said.

Michelle Mallet was indicted on charges of murder and felonious assault. She is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges later this week. Mallet was in a relationship with John Szakacs at that time he was beaten.

“I was shocked absolutely shocked, “ Mahoney said. “Finally, justice. I hope this gives others hope.  I am not giving up hope that my mother’s case will be solved. And I want to tell others who may be going through the same thing, don’t  ever give up hope.”

Police were called to the Family Dollar on the 7900 block Euclid Avenue last Wednesday for a call that a child was unresponsive in a stroller on the premises.

The young boy was taken to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital but was pronounced dead there.

According to an affidavit establishing probable cause, which was filed in Cleveland Municipal Court, the mother Timmeka Eggleton was arrested Saturday and is facing a murder charge.

The affidavit states Eggleton was “untruthful of the events of that day” and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office determined the child’s cause of death was from “blunt force trauma.”

The child’s death was ruled a homicide.

Eggleton was arraigned Tuesday in Cleveland Municipal Court, where her bond was set at $1 million. She's due back in court on Monday, July 3.

Homicide detectives have charged Kristel Candelario.

A court complaint says she admitted she went on vacation to Puerto Rico and Detroit, and she left her daughter alone and unattended.

The complaint says the mother was gone from June 8 to June 16, and on June 16, she found her daughter unresponsive.

The child died at a home on West 97th Street.

Police say a preliminary investigation revealed the child was extremely dehydrated.

Prosecutors sought a high bond for Candelario, and it was set at $1 million during her arraignment Tuesday, Cleveland Municipal Court records show. Candelario is due back in court for a pre-trial on Wednesday, June 28.

This marks the second mother in two days to be charged with the murder of a child.

Officials executed the search warrant at a Mantua home after receiving information that an animal cruelty charge was pending against the homeowner in another jurisdiction.

According to a press release issued by the Portage Animal Protective League, the homeowner is known to be a founding operator of Canine Lifeline, Inc., a nonprofit animal rescue.

Officials say no dogs were found alive and many of the dogs were found confined within their crates.

Necropsies, which are animal autopsies, will be performed to determine the dogs’ causes of death.

Canine Lifeline released a statement saying volunteers were not aware of the number of dogs harbored at the home, nor the condition of the home.

"Please know that the volunteers of Canine Lifeline are grieving this tragedy and are cooperating with the appropriate authorities," read the statement.

The statement goes on to say, volunteers were never given access to the home, and said the organization's operator was a "very private person who appeared, to us, to be devoted to these rescue animals; it appeared to be her life’s passion, and we are sickened and blind-sighted to learn this was a facade."

This investigation is ongoing and officials say no other details will be released at this time

Anyone with knowledge or details about this investigation is asked to contact the Humane agent, Holly Ebner, at humaneofficer@portageapl.org.

The law director for the village of Newburgh Heights tells us he expects the village to start following the law in handling the tickets.

But, he also said the village has had an officer clocking speeders for months without sending out any tickets.

The I-Team took hard questions about speed camera tickets to Newburgh Heights Law Director Luke McConville.

Last month, a judge told us the village is breaking the law by not filing the tickets in court. The mayor has refused to talk to us and has not returned several calls or emails asking to discuss the issue.

Now, with a contempt of court date looming, the law director tells the I-Team that the village is expected to comply with the judge’s order. That would involve filing the tickets and paying a court fee that has totaled $85,000.

On Friday, following a village council finance committee meeting, the I-Team approached the law director.

"You're the law director. What kind of legal advice are you giving the town when the judge is saying the town is violating the law?” the I-Team asked.

McConville answered that he has the “utmost respect” for the Garfield Heights Municipal Court.

“My advice to my client is consistent with that,” McConville said. “Beyond that, I'm not at liberty to comment further."

Still, we continued to press for more answers.  

Newburgh Heights officials issue camera tickets in the mail weeks after you have been caught allegedly speeding. 

Garfield Heights Judge Deborah Nicastro has told the I-Team that Newburgh Heights is breaking the law with the tickets issued on I-77 since the village stopped filing the tickets in court in March.

If the village files the tickets in court, they have to pay the $9 filing fee. 

I-Team Reporter Peggy Gallek asked the law director if his answer meant the village would pay what the court ordered.

“Yes, that’s the court’s, that the order,” McConville said.

The judge’s order says the village has to file the tickets issued in March and April, and pay the fees. 

If village officials do not pay by June 22, the mayor and police chief will have to show up at a hearing next month. They could get sent to jail for contempt of court.

For years, the village has claimed the speed cameras help make the roadways safe, but Newburgh Heights has never provided a traffic safety study to the I-Team. Now, the village is fighting over every last dollar from the tickets.

So many of you keep pointing out, you see a cop on an I-77 ramp peeking out from the trees clocking speeders, day after day.

But now, the law director also tells us, Newburgh Heights has not actually sent out any tickets for two months. That would mean police have caught speeders on camera for the last two months, but no one has gotten a ticket.

We also asked why police would be out there for hours, daily, clocking drivers if those tickets aren't being filed.

“I can't answer that question. I don't supervise that employee," he said.

Drivers have told us they are disgusted, and they question the impact on safety.

We will watch to see if the village does, in fact, do what the judge says must be done.

According to Lt. Mike Norman with the Cleveland Division of Fire, the latest incident happened Sunday at about 11:45 p.m. He says a single bullet hit the back door frame of Fire Station No. 24 on Clark Avenue.

Norman said the bullet landed on the floor of the fire station. No one was injured.

Just last week, on Monday, firefighters said one or two bullets came in through a window sill of Fire Station No. 22 on Superior Avenue after gunfire was heard outside. The bullet damaged a television and a duct inside the EMS room. 

It is not clear, in either case, if the shots were meant for the fire station, and there has been no indication if the cases have any connection, or what led to the gunfire.

The investigation involves city firefighters also working part-time for the village of Woodmere.

While it began as an internal review, we’ve learned even police are asking questions.

Multiple sources confirm an investigation surrounding 11 firefighters. Among the questions, did some firefighters clock in, at times, to get paid with tax dollars from both jobs at once?

Officials have also noticed some firefighters, at times, worked a shift at one place that ended at the moment their shift in the other town started. No time in between to travel from one job to the other. And, no time to rest between jobs.

This all began when the fire chief in Woodmere sent an email to Cleveland Fire.

The Woodmere chief pointed out some firefighters had been working more than 48 hours a week at their part-time job in the village on top of working full-time in the city. That led Cleveland to start investigating.

"They have asked for my records, yes," Woodmere Fire Chief Gina DeVito-Staub said.

She added that she’s waiting for Cleveland to get to the bottom of it.

"I have faith in the people that work here that they have high integrity. It’s one of our core values. Anything else, I'll have to deal with it on a case-by-case basis," the chief said.

Cleveland City Hall calls it an “active investigation.”

Cleveland Firefighters Union Local 93 issued a statement, saying, “We've been recently made aware of an investigation focused on several members of the Cleveland Fire Department. We believe a thorough investigation will exonerate the members in question."

One firefighter working in both places spoke out at a village council meeting.

"They're questioning, is there something wrong with the 11 individuals? What did they do wrong? And, I'm just here to tell you that those 11 individuals didn't do anything wrong," the firefighter said.

"Our biggest thing, what we want to do is just cooperate," Woodmere Mayor Benjamin Holbert said.

The mayor pointed out that at the heart of this is your tax dollars and safety.

"When the bell rings and somebody needs assistance, we want to be there quick, fast and in a hurry," the mayor said.

Now, hard questions about who worked where and when. As the investigation moves forward, we will update the story.

Friday afternoon, Stanley Jackson found out his punishment.

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo sentenced him for a string of vicious crimes last year.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors say, in one case, Jackson carjacked a man and a woman at gunpoint. He demanded money, smashed their phones, and he ordered them to strip naked.

Prosecutors say in another case, Jackson forced two women to drive around and take money out of ATMs. He, then, raped both women.

And, in yet another case, prosecutors say, Jackson forced another woman to drive around to bank machines to withdraw money. And, he sexually assaulted that woman, too.

Prosecutors and Cleveland police built their evidence using DNA, video, and other evidence from crime scenes.

Jackson was found guilty by a jury.

Hudson Police Chief Perry Tabak tells the Fox 8 I-Team the matter is still under investigation.  

According to the report, the victim told police someone burnt their “LGBT pride flag” while it was still mounted on the house.

Security video was given to police. Police are not yet releasing the video.

"This act of hatred is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," reads a statement released Saturday on behalf of Mayor Jeffrey Anzevino and city council members.

"Hudson is a city that is built on mutual respect for all beliefs. We are a community that is proud to celebrate our differences and to welcome everyone with open arms. The burning of this Pride flag is a direct attack on our values and on our community," the statement continues.

Anyone with information on the crime is urged to contact city police at 330-342-1800.

The statement also implores residents to take a stand against hate and intolerance by speaking out "whenever you see it" and by educating themselves others on their dangers.

State Rep. Casey Weinstein, (D) District 34, who lives in Hudson, says he is saddened about the apparent  “hate crime.”

“It illustrates the real world impact of the bullying, rhetoric and legislation at the Statehouse that targets the LGBTQ community,” Weinstein said.

“I want my constituents who are rightfully worried to know that I have their back, as do so many in our community! “

Police have increased patrols in the victim’s neighborhood.

In one case, police found a man with a knife scaring people. In another case, a worker said a man threatened her, so she pulled out a box cutter.

Months ago, we exposed ongoing problems at the airport, and the new incidents led us to ask again what’s being done to protect workers and travelers.

In one video clip just released, Cleveland police found a man who had been waving a knife inside the terminal. A worker at a coffee shop had reported the man.

"I got a call about you having a knife. That's why I came," an officer said to the man. "Where's the knife at? You still got it?"

"Yeah, something like that," the man mumbled.

Another police body camera video clip shows an officer question a man suspected of threatening an airport custodian. That led her to defend herself, pulling out a box cutter.

"The one lady in there, I told the lady, 'if you pull the knife on me, I'm going to knock you out.' Is there something wrong with that?" the suspect said.

"If she threatened me with a knife, charging at me, and I would've knocked her out, I had every right to knock her out," he added.

For months, the I-Team has revealed more and more issues at Hopkins Airport with people not there to travel.

Many people sleep in the terminal. Others wander around. Sometimes harassing people and even turning violent.

Now, a union leader is speaking out.

"Our biggest concern for our union members out there is safety," said Bobby Mendel with Laborers Local 860.

He added that the worker who pulled the box cutter got investigated and received a warning letter.

But, Mendel also said the worker felt, at that moment, she had to defend herself and something has to be done.

"I would like to see somebody from the mayor's office step in and do something about this. There just seems to be no urgency there," Mendel said.

Since the I-Team started putting a spotlight on all of this, we've been asking what's being done about it.

A spokesman tells us the airport is adding security patrols in certain areas, getting more mental health help for people police encounter, and adding emergency phones, too.

The airport has also hired private security offices -- unarmed guards to show a presence and keep an eye out.

Back to the man with the knife, an officer told him, "I want you to go the hospital, alright?”

Officers, ultimately, moved closer and the man pulled the knife out to toss it away.

Police had the man taken to a hospital for a psych evaluation.

But, one more incident at the airport that had nothing to do with travelling.

Tracy Frysinger was hit by the car while leaving work at the Cleveland Clinic around 7 p.m. on March 7. 

The FOX 8 I-Team obtained video of the crash that happened on Carnegie Avenue near the Cleveland Clinic. 

Frysinger can be seen walking in the cross walk when she was struck by a dark colored car.

“Struck me at full force,” Frysinger said. “Pushed me out, up and then down. The driver then went around me and took off. I couldn’t even get up or move. I had severe fractures and displacement in the tibia and right knee that required surgery. I had a broken thumb on my right hand and some compounded fractures in the spine.”

She was hospitalized for days and spent a couple weeks at a rehabilitation facility.  She just returned to work last month.

“I still can’t even drive,” Frysinger said. “This really caused me a lot of issues.”

The driver of the dark colored vehicle has not been located and no arrests have been made.

Tracy and her family members are hoping someone will recognize the car.

“That car would have had damage on it,” said Ashley Almady, Frysinger’s niece. “Hitting a human being is going to damage your car, so somebody knows something, somebody has seen that car with that damage. That car has gone into an autobody shop.”

Cleveland police are investigating, but Frysinger says she is being told the department is overwhelmed.

“Every time I call, it's just the same story. They are overworked, they don't have enough staff," Frysinger said. “Last time I called, it was assigned to a detective, but they have 6,000 cases.”

Police union leaders have told the I-Team for months the department is understaffed and down 200 officers.

Frysinger and her family members are hoping city leaders will hire more officers soon so more cases may get solved

“It happened so fast,” Frysinger said. “It changed everything in my life.”

It happened last weekend after a deadly shooting in the 3500 block of East 154^th Street.

The video shows lots of police cars and investigators, and then a deer.

The deer wandered in, tip-toed around, looked around, then quietly stepped away.

So, we took that to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

"Definitely, when you see something like that, deer in urban areas -- they know people. They know cop cars going down the road, doors slamming, dogs barking. They are much more comfortable around us," said Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor Geoff Westerfield. "That deer wanted to get through that area for some reason. She may have had a fawn on the other side of the house, or something like that."

As for the murder investigation with Cleveland homicide detectives, we checked, and police have made an arrest.

According to police reports, dozens of people had their cars broken into in a lot of Carnegie Avenue this weekend, and a dozen more vehicles damaged in another lot off of Carnegie Avenue on May 23.

Many of the victims were from out of town and were visiting the city to watch a baseball game or go to dinner.

“Extremely aggravating,” said one victim who asked not to be identified. “We had a 30-minute drive home in the cold, with no window, two kids in the back seat that had to basically sit on glass.”

Jim Clark said he just left the Guardians game Friday night when he and several others discovered the windows of their cars were shattered.

“We got to our car and our window is busted out,” Clark told the I-Team. “People in front of us got to their car, their window was busted, and the car behind us had both windows busted.”

Some of the victims said they waited for police for more than an hour. Others said they drove to the third district police headquarters to file a report.

“We got into the lot and there were literally dozens of cars, people standing around them. smashed glass everywhere,“ said David Karpinski. “Mine was in one of the back corners so we couldn't see it. We were walking to it saying, 'please not mine, please not mine,' and then I  turned the corner and both windows, driver side front and rear, were smashed out.”

Some of the vehicles ransacked. A few valuables were stolen, while others said nothing was taken.

Many of the recent victims we talked to say they are concerned about parking downtown and they would like to see some of the lots and garages hire security.

“That is the big discussion in the house right now. Do we even feel safe going down there in July?” one victim told us. “It is a hassle to get the car fixed and we don’t want to go through this again.”

Police are investigating. Anyone with information on the recent downtown car break-ins is asked to call detectives at the third district police headquarters.

We investigated how often it happened during the school year that just ended. We looked at reports for the entire year and collected video from local police.

One clip from North Ridgeville shows children crossing a small street to get on a school bus, and a driver turns right behind them even with flashing lights on the bus and a stop sign out. The bus driver blows the horn and yells, “What are you doing?”

Another clip shows a car barreling past a stopped school bus, and as it happens, a witness in a yard waves his arms and yells at the passing driver.

And, video from Olmsted Falls shows an SUV passing a school bus picking up kids. Simply, going around the bus on the wrong side of the road even with a police car behind him.

That driver, then, tells an officer he’d been going to a medical appointment.

"I have to try to get to … they're gonna pull my top teeth out and put some dentures in," he said.

Westlake police, this academic year, saw a spike in these kinds of reports.

"It seems like the bus drivers have been more aware,” Captain Gerald Vogel said.

He added, this marked the first year when cameras had been added to every Westlake school bus.

"They'll give us a call and report it. Send us the video. Make sure we can positively identify who was driving the car during that violation, and we'll send ‘em a ticket in the mail," Captain Vogel told us.

North Ridgeville police also reported more of these cases, but Bay Village and Mentor Police reported a drop.

We also checked on what drivers face when they get a ticket for passing a school bus. They could get fined hundreds of dollars and get points on their license, or even get their license suspended. They, also, cannot take care of it by mail. They have to appear in court.

In a spot check of court cases from recent months, we saw one driver plead no contest. Another, beat his ticket. But, another took his case to trial and lost.

That driver told the Judge: "I would never pass a school bus. There was no bus flashing signs. There was no stop sign."

But, the Judge ruled, "The State of Ohio has proven beyond … a reasonable doubt. The court is gonna find you guilty."

Over the years, we’ve also shown you kids hit by drivers going around school buses. Yet, one more video clip from this school year shows a line of cars passing a stopped bus. Several cars blowing through without waiting.

It happens a lot more than you might think even with cameras and police watching.

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – A box truck that had been converted into a place for people to live is now being investigated as a crime scene in Ashtabula Township.

Ashtabula County Sheriff Deputies are investigating a double shooting inside the converted truck that left one person dead.

Officials say, a 40-year-old Kingsville woman was killed, and a 42-year-old Ashtabula man was injured during the shooting that took place in the 2300 block of Eureka Road early Wednesday morning.

A call to 911 came to police at about 4:30 a.m. Officials say the caller said two suspects entered the dwelling on the property and shot the male and female victims and then fled on foot.

When deputies arrived, officials say, they found the victims inside a box truck that had been
converted into a residence.

The surviving male victim told deputies that two men came into the truck and attempted to rob them. When the victims told the subjects they didn’t have anything, one of the subjects fired
shots at them, according to a press release. The female victim was shot in the chest and the male victim was shot in the right leg.

The suspects have not yet been located, according to officials.

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HUDSON, Ohio (WJW) – A $2 million bond has been set for a Cleveland woman accused of shooting and killing a Cleveland State Professor at his Hudson home, according to online Summit County Common Pleas Court records.

An arraignment was held Tuesday for Terreionna Paschal, 31, of Cleveland. She faces several charges including aggravated murder with a firearm specification, a special felony, and tampering with evidence in the death of 41-year-old Todd Morgan.

Morgan, an assistant professor in the Department of Management in the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University and father of two children, was found shot dead in his West Streetsboro Street home on April 19.

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Morgan was shot in the head and torso, and that his death was a homicide.

Hudson police have not given a motive for the murder and have not said if Paschal knew Morgan.

Hudson Chief Perry Tabak has stated that through his department’s investigation, they determined the murder was an isolated incident.

A pretrial hearing for Paschal is set for August 1.

A municipal court judge recently told the I-Team officials with the Village of Newburgh Heights are violating the law by not filing all traffic camera tickets with the court, and now, village council members issued a statement saying they are not at fault.

The council blames Mayor Gigi Traore.

The council members issued a statement and referred to FOX 8 news coverage.

The statement said, in part, “We do not agree with the mayor’s operation and administration of the village’s traffic camera program.” The statement also said, “In fact, upon the advice of the Village Solicitor, we adopted legislation (Ord. 2023-13) instructing the administration to comply with the Garfield Heights Municipal Court’s order to pay fees as required by the court.”

The statement was signed by the five councilmembers, Steve Moran, Dorene Kray, Michelle Graora, Linda Giersz and Bill Dunman.

Garfield Heights Municipal Court Judge Deborah Nicastro told the I-Team that Newburgh Heights is breaking the law by not filing I-77 camera tickets with the court. Last week, she issued an order stating the village owes the Court $85,000 for the filing fees for all the tickets they have not filed.

The judge said that Ohio law requires all the traffic camera tickets, including the ones issued with a handheld camera on I-77, be filed with the court. The judge also told us, the village has kept all of the money from the tickets for itself by avoiding paying a court filing fee.

We have tried several times to reach mayor Gigi Traore and police chief John Majoy to discuss the issue. Majoy said he would talk to us without a camera. He said the mayor will not allow village employees to “engage with nor speak with the media regarding any topic.”

Council members stated in their release that the chief has not had full “authority regarding the traffic camera program since Ms. Traore assumed the office of Mayor in April of 2022. “

“Please know that in no way does any VONH council member agree with or support any decision that is contrary to Judge Nicastro’s order,” the statement noted. “In fact, as a body we met with the GHMC judges to make this point explicitly clear. The decision to ignore the court’s authority rests solely on the shoulders of Mayor Gigi Traore. Since this program’s implementation in 2013, when under the direction of Chief Majoy, this program operated fully within the requirements of the law. Our current issues are the direct result of our Chief of Police being removed from the decision making and full administration of the program.”

While the mayor declined once again to return our calls to discuss the issue, a letter announcing her campaign to run for re-election was sent to the FOX 8 newsroom Tuesday. The letter stresses the mayor is committed to “efforts to restoring trust with residents and community partners; while focusing on branding, development, streamlining operations and community engagement.“

The letter also talks about issues the mayor has with council and her opponent, former Newburgh Heights Mayor Trevor Elkins.

“Despite the intentional discriminatory targeting of the former mayor and members of council she is committed to continuing the work started 5 years ago and to Village residents who deserve to have a trusting and accessible local government,” the letter states.

Meanwhile, the judge is still waiting to hear from Newburgh Heights officials.

The order states the following:

“Now, therefore, it is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed that the village, Gatso, Mayor (Gigi) Traore and Chief (John) Majoy shall, on or before June 22, 2023, file any and all tickets issued on I-77, that have not previously been filed with the court, and pay the advance filing fees or appear on July 5, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Garfield Heights Municipal Court, 5555 Turney Road, Garfield Heights, Ohio 44125, Courtroom No. 1 to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court.”

So, what happens if the village doesn’t pay? Village leaders could go to jail.

The ruling further notes the penalty for contempt of court is up to 30 days in jail and up to a $250 fine and court costs per ticket not filed with the court.

Meantime, as a result of the I-Team bringing all of this to light, the Garfield Heights Municipal Court has been swamped with calls from drivers asking about hearings to fight their tickets.