A Painesville man is facing nine charges after Cleveland police say he tried to liberate his wife's minivan from an impound lot by force, injuring a lot worker in the process.
Cleveland police say they towed the Honda Odyssey belonging to Paul M. Johnson's wife to an impound lot on the evening of Jan. 31.
Johnson showed up at the lot and asked employee Timothy Reeves for the vehicle. As Reeves turned around to look for the file on the suspect's car, Johnson ran into the impound lot without an escort, and jumped into his wife's van.
Police say the suspect then started the van and began to drive. Reeves told police had seen Johnson getting into the van so he went to the security gate and closed it, to keep the suspect from leaving the lot without paying for the towing and storage fees.
Reeves said Johnson then sped toward the gate and never stopped, striking the gate and causing Reeves to be struck by the gate. The victim sustained injuries to his back and right shoulder that needed medical attention.
Johnson kept going, say police, heading southbound on Quigley Road, where police caught up and arrested him.
The charges against Johnson are:
- Felonious Assault (2 charges)
- Aggravated Robbery (2 charges)
- Robbery (3 charges)
- Grand Theft
- Breaking and Entering
Cleveland PD Impound Lot #6: 3040 Quigley Rd
