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2 accused of breaching roadblock

Came as officers were investigating scene of fatal Braceville crash

NEWTON FALLS — Two men accused of attempting to drive through a roadblock, set up as authorities investigated a fatal accident in Braceville on Tuesday night, were arraigned Thursday in Newton Falls Municipal Court.

Leaon Hines Vanterool Gordon, 26, of Brookfield, Conn., and Noah Denious, 22, of Cuyahoga Falls, were taken into custody early Wednesday after authorities chased down the car in which they were riding. The vehicle had fled the area of state Routes 5 and 534.

One of the men, Gordon, is accused of depriving a law enforcement officer of his weapon.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, saying a report is not completed.

Both men filed not-guilty pleas via a video hookup with Judge Philip Vigorito’s court.

Gordon, who was identified as the driver, also is charged with aggravated robbery, assault and failure to comply, while Denious faces tampering and aggravated robbery charges.

Newton Falls police Chief Gene Fixler said an officer was directing traffic at the fatal crash when he was assaulted.

First responders had set up roadblocks in two places after an Akron man and a Leavittsburg woman were killed in a three-car crash at the Routes 5 and 534 intersection. Three other people, including a 10-year-old, were injured.

Brandon O. Grove, 35, of Akron, and April M. Davis, 34, of Leavittsburg, both were declared dead at the scene, the patrol reported. As a result of the collision, witnesses said Grove’s vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, struck a traffic sign and overturned about 10 times before catching fire. The man was ejected partially from the vehicle.

The patrol said the investigation is continuing and drugs are suspected to be a factor in the accident.

Fixler said Newton Falls officers and patrol troopers were yelling for a vehicle with two people inside to stop entering the Braceville accident scene.

“One of my officers was directing traffic when the vehicle came right toward him and a trooper,” he said.

Fixler said the officer drew his gun to try to stop the driver. But the driver drove over the officer’s foot and the gun ended up inside the suspect’s vehicle, which had an open window.

“My officer and the others were directing traffic to keep people safe and this car came right toward them and then after running over the officer’s foot took off,” he said.

He said the patrol is investigating the sequence of events that happened.

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