Traffic stop leads to gun, drug charges in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Two men will appear in court Wednesday afternoon after the lack of a turn signal led police to conduct a traffic stop where officers reported recovering drugs and a gun.

Officers with the Youngstown Police Department were on patrol in the area of Hillman Street and Indianola Avenue late Monday afternoon when a Jeep SUV failed to use a turn signal and began picking up speed in an effort to evade officers, reports state.

The SUV pulled into a driveway in the 100 block of West Florida Avenue where reports state a passenger, identified as Jason Clay, ran from the vehicle and led police on a chase through nearby yards before he was caught.

Reports state the SUV’s driver, Da’Jauan Moore, remained in the vehicle and told officers that he didn’t know why Clay ran from the vehicle, other than that Clay had an active warrant.

During a search of the vehicle, reports state officers recovered a bag of cocaine in the passenger-side door. A K-9 was brought to the scene, discovering a bag of cocaine and two bags of fentanyl on the path Clay had taken through yards.

Police also recovered a 9 mm pistol near the sidewalk of West Florida Avenue in the direction of the driver’s side of the vehicle, which the men stated their DNA would not be found on, reports state.

Both men were arrested on the scene and are set for video arraignment at Youngstown Municipal Court on Wednesday afternoon.

Court records show Clay is facing felony charges of tampering with evidence, possession of drugs, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Moore is facing charges of tampering with evidence and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

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