Strongsville Police Blotter: Wrong-Way Ride on I-71 Causes Tense Moments

Reports of a woman driving the wrong way on I-71 sent police racing to the interstate Sunday to try to intercept her.

Multiple reports from other drivers came in about 4:15 p.m. as the elderly woman driving a small red car got on I-71 at Royalton Road heading north in the southbound lanes.

The woman made it past the turnpike exit and all the way to Pearl Road before Middleburg Heights officers were able to stop her. No injuries were reported.

The woman, 83, lives on Berkshire Circle. Middleburg Heights police handled the report.

In other news:

• The theft of a sweatshirt from the 18100 Royalton Rd., Feb. 12 turned out to be more of an inconvenience than a crime.  The owner reported about 7 p.m. that his sweatshirt with his cell phone, money, wallet and car keys was taken from the rec center.

Police took the victim home to look for a spare car key, but he could not find one, a report said, forcing him to leave his vehicle at the rec center.

The case was solved then next day when a man turned in the hoodie. He said he had picked up his kids and their friends at the rec center, and one had brought the orange hoodie to the car, believing it belonged to his son. 

Police returned the sweatshirt, wallet, keys and cash to the owner.

• An alarm sent police to Forestview Drive at 4 a.m. Feb. 12, but it was frustration, not a burglar, that set it off. A woman there told police her husband had been drinking and had trouble setting the alarm, so he ripped it out of the wall, which set it off.

• Residents got suspicious about 12:30 p.m. Feb. 13 when they saw a man with dreadlocks walking on Golden Star and Timberline, smoking marijuana and talking to himself. He was gone when police arrived.

• A Howe Road resident applied for a job on Craig's List and received a check for $4,980, with instructions on what to do with it. The resident did not fall for the attempted fraud.

• Three vehicles sped down Partridge Drive at Deerfield Drive about 7:20 p.m. Feb. 11, with one of the occupants yelling "call the police" out the window, so a passerby did. Police located the vehicles and the teens who were in them, who denied doing anything of the sort. The parents of one of the girls were notified anyway.

• Road rage caused an incident on Prospect Road at Westwood Drive Feb. 12 in which a woman called police to say she was being followed by a driver who was following her and throwing things out the windows at her car. The woman said she was afraid to pull into her driveway with the other car still there.

Police stopped both vehicles. Neither driver wanted to pursue charges.

• A Prospect Road resident reported a burglary at 4:15 p.m. Feb. 11. The burglar bent the back door frame to get inside, a report said.

• A pizza delivery person left his car in drive when he delivered lunch on Scott Drive Feb. 11. The car rolled into the garage, causing minor damage to the door.