Toledo
police officer charged in shooting plot
Lt. Ramirez charged with
felonious assault, obstruction, evidence tampering
A Toledo police lieutenant was
arraigned today on charges that he helped to plot the shooting of a woman who
testified in a high-profile murder case.
Police Lt. Frank Ramirez, 58, a
31-year veteran of the police department, was charged Wednesday in Toledo
Municipal Court with felonious assault, obstructing official business, and
tampering with evidence. Lietuenant Ramirez appeared in Toledo Municipal Court
this morning, shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit.
Lieutenant Ramirez has been
suspended without pay from his position, said department spokesman Sgt. Joe
Heffernan. Toledo police arrested Lieutenant Ramirez, Sergeant Heffernan said.
He declined to comment on the investigation.
"He was taken into custody
without incident," Sergeant Heffernan said.
Chief George Kral has scheduled
a news conference for 2 p.m. Friday to discuss the case, he said.
During the arraignment, Judge
Joshua Lanzinger set bond at $100,000 at the request of Jennifer Bainbridge, an
assistant Lucas County prosecutor. He set a preliminary hearing for Feb. 19.
The lieutenant remains this afternoon in the Lucas County jail.
Defense attorney Gretchen
DeBacker, who is representing Lieutenant Ramirez, said her client "intends
to cooperate as part of this investigation." She said he is the afternoon
shift commander at Scott Park.
According to court documents,
police allege that Lieutenant Ramirez, who is not identified as an officer in
any of the documents, “participated in the planning of a felonious assault” in
which Tiffany Williams was shot at on Dec. 26 in the 1300 block of Colburn
Avenue.
Ms. Williams testified at the
murder trials of Samuel Williams, who is of no relation to Ms. Williams, and
Cameo Pettaway, who were accused of killing Johnny Clarke and Lisa Straub in
Springfield Township in January, 2011.
Johnny Clarke's parents, John
Clarke, 45, and Maytee Vazquez-Clarke, 44, were arrested after Ms. Williams was
shot at twice. Police accused the elder Clarke of shooting twice at Ms.
Williams, 28, in an alley.
Police allege that the
lieutenant, who is known to be a personal friend of Ms. Vazquez-Clarke, also
“did direct another to remove and delete evidence related to the crime and his
involvement in the same.”
An affidavit states there was
“evidence of communications between the defendant and another,” and the
evidence was deleted “in an attempt to shield the defendant's involvement in a
felonious assault plot.”
Mrs. Vazquez-Clarke was charged
Wednesday in Toledo Municipal Court with felonious assault for her alleged
role. She had previously been charged with obstructing official business. The
elder Clarke, who has since been indicted in Lucas County Common Pleas Court,
is charged with felonious assault.
Jerome Phillips, who represents
Mrs. Vasquez-Clarke, declined to comment today.
