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WARREN -- Ryshionna Powell, 18, of Warren, is in the Trumbull County jail, charged with felonious assault, after an incident Monday afternoon in Warren Municipal Court in which she got into a fight with a Lowellville woman in the courtroom and threw a phone at the Lowellville woman's head, causing a laceration.
On Tuesday, Powell was arraigned in the same courtroom where the fight took place by Visiting Judge Terry Ivanchak. Powell pleaded not guilty and her bond was set at $15,000. Ivanchak also was presiding over the court at the time of the fight.
Powell is not allowed to post bond until after she serves the 30 days of jail time Ivanchak ordered when he found her in contempt of court because of the fight, according to court records.
A Warren police report states that cameras in the courtroom captured the incident. A Warren officer reviewed the video footage, which the report states shows that at about 2 p.m. Monday, "two females bumping into each other, taking fighting stances and then Powell throwing her phone, which strikes (the victim's) forehead."
The police report states that at about 1:55 p.m. Monday, a Warren officer working the front desk at the building that houses the Warren Police Department, municipal court and City Council chambers heard yelling and screaming coming from the court area upstairs. Another officer upstairs advised that he had Powell in custody.
The downstairs officer then met with the victim on the first floor, who said she was scheduled to appear in court Monday for a prior incident involving Powell. While they were in the courtroom, Powell and the Lowellville woman passed each other near the back of the courtroom and they "bumped into each other," the report states.
The victim said Powell "shoulder checked" her. Powell said the Lowellville woman "shoulder checked" Powell. The incident caused the women to yell at each other. Both women took a "fighting stance," the report states. Powell had her phone in her hand and threw it at the other woman, the report states.
"The phone struck (the victim) directly in the forehead, causing a laceration" that was about two inches long and a quarter of an inch deep. It bled immediately, the report states. Officers separated the women, and Powell was taken into custody. She was later taken to the Trumbull County jail.
Ambulance personnel arrived and treated the other woman's injury, but she refused transport to the hospital. Her friend took her to the hospital, the report states.
Powell is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the case at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The victim was scheduled for a pretrial in her misdemeanor criminal damaging and menacing case Monday, according to court records. The hearing was reset until Oct. 19.