Homicide charges possible in french-fry fire

It’s possible a man could be charged with reckless homicide after a Westerville South High School student was killed in a house fire.

Westerville police took a urine sample from a man who started making french fries on the stove top Sept. 1 and went down to the basement of the home in the 100 block of Allview Road.

He fell asleep. Fire investigators suspect the fire started on the stove. The man, and two others inside who had to jump from a second-floor window, were able to escape the flames.

But 17-year-old Hannah Sarver died in the house fire.

A sample was collected to “determine if alcohol or drugs impaired his ability to recognize the danger, which could have caused the fire,” a search warrant states.

“We’re still waiting on those results to come back,” Westerville Police Lt. Charles Chandler said.

Investigators will consult with prosecutors and discuss the possibility of the case going to a grand jury, he said.

Hit-skip suspect found in trash bin

A trash container might not be the best hiding place to evade police, one man learned over the weekend.

Police officers from Worthington and Columbus were searching for a vehicle suspected in a series of hit-skip collisions Sunday. The driver caused a crash reported at Sancus Boulevard and Lakeview Plaza in Worthington and then fled.

Later, the vehicle struck a tree, utility pole and guardrail at Worthington-Galena Road and Highland Avenue. The driver, who was bleeding profusely, then ran from the vehicle.

He was found hiding in a trash bin in the 6700 block of North High Street. He was taken into custody and treated at Riverside Methodist Hospital, according to Worthington police.

Badge, hat swiped from police cruiser

Someone might have started putting together a police officer costume early for Halloween this year.

A Columbus Division of Police officer’s hat and badge were stolen from a police cruiser during a call on the South Side.

The officer was responding to an officer-in-trouble call on Ellsworth Avenue when the items were taken on Sept. 4.

As of Monday morning, the items had not been located or turned in.