By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — A city teen remains in the hospital in serious condition after he was jumped and beaten up Friday, while walking on Center Street to the Circle K, on Main Avenue, to get a Polar Pop.
Unbeknownst to the victim, the Circle K just had been robbed by one of his attackers, police said.
Dean Hayes, 19, of Ashtabula, was flown by Cleveland MetroHospital’s helicopter to the Cleveland Clinic shortly after 2 a.m. Friday, after suffering brain injuries from the assault.
Acting detective Sgt. Alan Altonen said words were exchanged among Hayes, his friend and the four men who approached them and took their wallets.
“A Hispanic male decked Dean (Hayes), bloodied his face, and then a black male wrestled Dean (Hayes) to the ground, knocking off his glasses,” Altonen said. “The next thing Hayes remembered is being loaded into an ambulance.”
Rhonda Hayes said her son was battered after he was unconscious.
“A weapon must have been used because his injuries were too severe for just a fist,” Rhonda Hayes said. “It was a hate crime.”
Police nabbed a suspect, Londale Miller of Ashtabula, on Ann Avenue, and returned him to the scene, where he was identified as one of the men who fought with Dean. Come to find out, Miller also was identified as the man who had robbed the Circle K only minutes before he encountered Dean Hayes on Center Street, according to court records. Altonen estimates Miller to be about 30 years old.
Miller and the three men walking with him were breaking beer bottles on Jefferson Avenue, and someone called police to report a disturbance, reports show.
Ashtabula patrol officer Adam Simons was on his way to that call when Hayes’ friend flagged him down on Center Street. He told Simons to call an ambulance, because two men had beaten up his friend, Rhonda Hayes said.
Miller, of 414 W. 29th St., was charged with robbery, assault and petty theft. He was arraigned Friday afternoon, pleading not guilty to the charges of assault and petty theft, and he remains in jail on a $75,000 cash or surety bond, police said. He entered “no plea” to the robbery charge because it is a felony, court records show. Miller was found to be indigent, and public defender Joseph Humpolick was assigned to his case, court records show.
The city solicitor’s office issued a warrant for another man involved in the beating, but as of Tuesday, he had not been arrested, Altonen said.
Miller is well acquainted with city law-enforcement and court officials. On Sept. 4, he pleaded guilty to aggravated disorderly conduct, court records show.
During the past three years, he was found guilty of assault, criminal trespassing (twice), aggravated disorderly conduct, petit theft and possession of drug paraphernalia (twice), court records sho
