Recordpub.com - Rootstown man beaten, coins stolen: Four face assault, robbery charges

By Colin McEwen

Record-Courier staff writer

ROOTSTOWN — A badly beaten elderly man was taken by a medical helicopter to Akron City Hospital after he was assaulted at his home. The four people charged in the crime are in the Portage County jail waiting to be arraigned.

The victim was attacked at his Tallmadge Road home early Thursday morning. His name was not being released immediately.

Portage County Sheriff David Doak said Jodi Fetty, 27, of 3647 McClintocksburg Road, Diamond, approached the man’s home at approximately 2:30 a.m. and told the resident she was having car problems and asked to use his telephone.

While she was using the phone, two men appeared on his porch and the resident went out to see what was going on.

The suspects — identified as Cortez Oliver, 20, of Fairlawn, and Jonathan Dukes, 23, of 3865 Blake Avenue, Ravenna — then allegedly beat the man.

Doak said the suspects entered the home and stole numerous coins from the victim’s coin collection. They then fled the scene in a vehicle driven by Darrell L. Dukes, 21, of 3075 S.R. 59, Ravenna.

The victim was taken by helicopter to Akron City Hospital because of his severe injuries.

Doak commended the work by the off-duty Ravenna police officer who was working security at the Ravenna Giant Eagle store.

“He was monitoring some of the radio traffic and when (Fetty) came to the store to cash in the coins, he put two and two together and approached her. She ran and he apprehended two in the parking lot. That led to us getting the other two later (Thursday afternoon),” Doak said.

Oliver, Dukes, Dukes and Fetty are being held at the Portage County jail on charges of aggravated burglary and felonious assault.

They are all scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.

43.	Posted by MASON1 July 6, 2009
	I blame the person that went to the door. she knew the motives of being there. don't blame the race they are, white or black they are truly scum . . the question is, did this white trash know the 68 yr. old? that still didn't give them the rights to try and kill him. this is called atempted murder, aggervated burgulary and robbery.hopefully they will have a long time to think about this while doing prison time. they like white girls because they think they are thugs.do your thug time miss bad .

42.	Posted by MASON1 July 6, 2009
	I blame the person that went to the door. she knew the motives of being there. don't blame the race they are, white or black they are truly scum . . the question is, did this white trash know the 68 yr. old? that still didn't give them the rights to try and kill him. this is called atempted murder, aggervated burgulary and robbery.hopefully they will have a long time to think about this while doing prison time. they like white girls because they think they are thugs.do your thug time miss bad .

41.	Posted by the24aboyz July 6, 2009
	I think as a commmunity we should be aware of our surrounding and help watch out for our neighbors. what I have done is swap cell numbers with my neighbors and if they see or hear anything weird they call and I do the same for them. Also put up motion censor lights,they help! make sure you have your local police departments phone number stored on you cell under speed dial. 911 takes longer by the time you get rerouted to your local department. If you see or notice anything weird dont hesitate to call the police non emergency line and report it, you may stop a crime from being commited. and last keep your firearms ready at all times! An unloaded gun, is useless. Unless its out for training, bragging, cleaning, or transporting purposes, my guns are loaded. From my daily carry gun, to my HD rifle. GO AHEAD MAKE MY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

39.	Posted by MyThoughts July 6, 2009
	OMG.. This is horrible. May God be with this man and his family. Kudos to the off duty police officer in helping apprehend these stains on our somewhat civil society. These horrible actions should not go unpunished, with just a little slap on the hand. I think there will be a major problem for the judge that would make such a decision. We citizens of Portage County are not going accept that kind of sentencing, so you better step up and let the punishment fit the crime. Don't open your door strangers. It is a shame it has come to this.

37.	Posted by here4theparty July 6, 2009
	i wasnt throwing a pity party over shild support i was simply stating that the thug punks will get off with a slap on the wrist along with other people who commit real crimes but people who do minor crimes or miss child support payment they want to toss them in the chair. and why did i get divorced ... because she didnt believe till death do us part like i did she cheated on me because i was the only one working to give her and the kids everything they wanted but it wasnt enought for her but old ma said what she said and she has no clue and im not saying childsupport should be paid by everyone who's supposed to pay its just the courts system beat up the people who miss payments and let the people who are the real criminals get off scott free

36.	Posted by Vydunas July 6, 2009
	Draygreen06- You're throwing a pity party over your child support when the topic is a man who will never again earn his keep (or anyone else's) and is in far worse shape than you are. How's that for narcissism? Yes, the legal system is screwed up, and I don't understand why anyone who is not a Christian would want to get married under the present system. But you did. So why did you get divorced? What happened to "till death do us part"? You asked for advice, and Old Ma gave you some. I'm sorry if you didn't like it. Your comment to the lady was ignorant and uncalled-for. I know her, and she doesn't do anything BUT work. I don't do anything else but work,either, and am tired of being a slave for"protected classes". These thugs were ignorant enough to take a bunch of potentially-valuable coins and trade them in for face value. Judging by your grammar and punctuation, you really aren't much smarter. Let's take some tactical lessons from this poor old man's mistakes: 1. Everybody has a cell phone nowadays. If they don't, to heck with 'em. If they have "car problems" they can flag somebody down, who can call from inside their car. Nobody is coming inside my house at 2:30AM. 2. If somebody tries to get into your house at 2:30AM, they may have friends. So carry YOUR friend: a well-functioning pistol of at least .38 or 9 mm and preferably larger. Everyone wants the death penalty for these folks, and realistically, that's the only way they'd get it. 3. If you own anything valuable, keep it quiet. The creed now is "You have it -I want it- it's mine." I don't think they cased the place in this instance, but there's no sense in inviting trouble. Let the guys who wear all the bling take the bullet.