CLEVELAND -- Think about this as many of you clean up from that holiday cookout and start separating your trash and recyclables. The I-Team has found many local communities do much better at recycling that Cleveland.

Last week, we revealed nearly all recycling picked up in the city gets mixed with regular trash.  Exclusive video shows nearly all of the recycling picked up by Cleveland city crews at the curb simply gets dumped in with regular trash. Cleveland city officials, including the mayor, admit Cleveland’s recycling program is broken.

“It’s not working. It’s not working for several reasons," said Mayor Frank Jackson.

The I-Team has now obtained Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District recycling rates for other communities in Cuyahoga County, and the majority do far better than Cleveland.

At the top: Cleveland Heights with 75%. Other leaders include Bay Village, North Olmsted, Parma Heights, Shaker Heights, and South Euclid with all over 50%.

Cleveland is among the worst, way down at 7%.  East Cleveland, Maple Heights, and North Randall also ranked poorly.

Many Cleveland residents are demanding better for their tax dollars, telling us they want city hall to make changes quickly.

An internal City of Cleveland study obtained through public records requests by the I-Team shows if nothing changes, a new contract to handle recycling for the City of Cleveland will likely cost millions of dollars more.

So the city is looking at either cracking down more on people who break recycling rules or even changing the program so residents have a choice to take part in recycling or not.

Residential Recycling Report

CLEVELAND -- A woman facing several charges in connection with the murder of a four-year-old boy is asking a judge to reduce her bond so she can get out of jail.

Joanne Vega filed a motion with Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge William McGinty on Monday. She asked that her $1 million bond be reduced to $400,000. She said she needs medical and dental care.

Vega and her co-defendant Romaine Tolbert are charged with murder, felonious assault, permitting child abuse, involuntary manslaughter, endangering children, offenses against a human corpse, tampering with evidence and kidnapping.

The couple is accused of murdering four-year-old Eliazar Ruiz. They both pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The two were indicted on January 14, and they failed to appear in court for their arraignments. They were arrested in March by the U.S. Marshals in Adrian, Michigan.

The motion states she had to recently have emergency gall bladder surgery.

"She has requested medical attention twice over the last couple of weeks, but received no reply," the motion filed by her attorney, David Brown states. "If the pain stems from her appendix, and it ruptures, she risks going septic-- a life-threatening event."

The motion further states that Vega has four teeth causing her an "immense amount of pain."

"Jail medical told her that her teeth are salvageable, but they can only pull them while she is in jail," the motion went on to say.

The judge has not yet issued a ruling on the motion.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors plan to oppose the motion, saying they believe she should be able to get the treatment she needs in jail.

Landscapers found the boy's remains at a house on Longmead Avenue near West 130th Street in Cleveland back in 2017. The skeleton was covered in bags in the backyard. For months, the boy’s identity was not known.

He wasn’t identified until his mother saw a sketch on FOX 8 that was drawn by Dr. Linda Spurlock, a forensic facial reconstruction artist and an assistant professor of anthropology at Kent State University. That’s when police learned the mother went to prison in 2017 and left Eliazar with Vega, his godmother. DNA confirmed his identity.

HURON, Ohio -- A water rescue is underway at Nickel Plate Beach in Huron.

Police sources tell the FOX 8 I-TEAM that three juveniles were pulled out of the water.

A 19-year-old man is reportedly still missing.

A helicopter is in the air searching for the teen.

Rescue boats are also in the water.

Rescuers started a human chain, which has since exited the water.

The Huron police chief says the search is still ongoing.

This is a developing story.  FOX 8 will provide updates as they become available.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Multiple sources tell the FOX 8 I-Team that there are multiple people found dead in a house near where a man was found dead in a field Tuesday.

Police initially reported a man’s body with a gunshot wound was found in a field next to the house around 8 a.m.

After the discovery, detectives went inside the home next to the field.

According to the I-Team, the bodies of two children and a woman were found dead in the home.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner is at the scene. The Medical Examiner confirms there are four bodies.

The Arson Unit is also on scene.

Sources tell the I-Team the house has a heavy smell of gas.

Stay with FOX 8 for more as this story develops.

HURON, Ohio – The body of 18-year-old Alvin Martin was recovered Tuesday morning near the mouth of the Huron River.

Martin went under on Sunday when he was trying to rescue children who were being pulled out by strong currents.

The Huron police chief tells FOX 8 a fisherman found the body.

Huron PD has notified Martin’s family of the recovery.

“Huron PD extends our sympathy to Alvin’s family and friends and are keeping all affected by this tragedy in our thoughts,” Chief Bob Lippert said in a statement.

Editor’s Note: The video may be hard to watch.
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio – Chantelle Glass is suing Cuyahoga County, corrections officer Robert Marsh, and corrections officer Indris-Farid Clark, for a violent attack on Glass that led to criminal charges against the two officers.

The suit was filed in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

The incident happened in July 16, 2018 inside the Cuyahoga County Jail.

“This is a civil-rights action brought to redress an act of torture perpetrated by two corrections officers who restrained, punched, and pepper sprayed Chantelle Glass for asking to make a phone call, and to hold Cuyahoga County responsible for adopting a custom, policy, or practice of brutalizing incarcerated citizens, failing to properly train its employees, and coddling the corrections officers who perpetrate sadistic violent acts against the people in their custody,” the suit states.

The suit alleges claims for excessive force, First Amendment retaliation, assault, battery, failure to train and supervise employees, and related state-law claims including civil liabilty.

Glass, a mother of three, had been booked on an old misdemeanor traffic warrant from New Jersey on that day.

According to the complaint, Glass repeatedly requested to make a phone call. The suit alleges that corrections officers threatened to tie her up and mace her if she did not stop asking to make her phone call.

On the video, you see her try to lift her leg, after being restrained and a corrections officer identified as Robert Marsh punches her in the face. Then a supervisor identified as Cpl. Idris-Farid Clark begins spraying the pepper foam directly onto her face.

Both Clark and Marsh were indicted on multiple charges including assault and unlawful restraint. Both pleaded not guilty.

Glass was released two days later without charges, according to her attorney Subodh Chandra.

You can read the lawsuit here.

Glass is being represented by The Chandra Law Firm LLC.

CLEVELAND -- Speaking for the first time, since video surfaced of correction officers restraining and pepper spraying her, a mother of three said she was afraid she was going to die at the Cuyahoga County jail.

"I sat in the chair that day and prayed over and over that I wouldn't die," Chantelle Glass said Wednesday.

Glass was arrested July 16, 2018 on an outstanding traffic warrant.  She asked to use the phone to tell her family where she was so they wouldn't worry.

"She requested repeatedly to make a phone call and she was told she needed to wait. She was told no and then she was told she would be tied up and maced," said Atty. Ashlie Case Sletvold.

Sletvold and Subodh Chandra represent Glass.

The two jail guards involved in the incident have been indicted on several charges. They both pleaded not guilty.

Security and body camera video shows the corrections officers at the jail restrain her in a chair, pepper spray and punch her.

She can be heard screaming, saying she was having trouble breathing and begging for help.

"I can't breathe," she can be heard saying on the body camera video.

Glass filed a lawsuit Tuesday.

County officials did not respond to a request to discuss the case.

Glass says she wants justice.

"I do think about July 16, 2018 everyday, " Glass said. "What if I would have stopped breathing in their restraint chair? Why did they do this to me?"

Continuing coverage, here.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man was charged in the murders of four people in Cleveland's Slavic Village.

Armond Johnson (Photo courtesy: Cuyahoga County Jail)

Armond Johnson, 26, was booked on aggravated murder charges Thursday morning. He will appear in court at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

“We hope and pray this person never sees the light of day again," said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams.

The I-Team learned Cleveland homicide detectives picked up the suspect for questioning on July 9, the same day the bodies of David Cousin Jr., 35; Takeyra Collins, 25; Armond Johnson, Jr., 6; and Aubree Stone, 2, were found.

Cleveland police initially responded to East 63rd Street at around 8 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a man down in a field. Officers found the body of a man who had been shot.

While officers were looking for witnesses, police saw the bodies of the children through a window, police said.

Investigators said Johnson is the father of the 6-year-old victim. They would not elaborate of the relationships between the other victims, but did say it appears Cousin was a passerby.

Johnson was released from prison on March 2. He served four years on felonious assault and drug trafficking charges.

According to papers filed in Cleveland Municipal Court, Johnson is currently facing a robbery charge from March and a domestic violence charge from December 2013. Collins is listed as the victim in that case.

Continuing coverage here. 

CLEVELAND -- The man arrested for killing four people, including his own son, in Slavic Village pleaded not guilty and was issued $5 million bond in court Friday.

Armond Johnson Sr. was taken into custody Tuesday, the day police found the bodies of the four victims, including Johnson’s 6-year-old son, Armond Johnson Jr.

Johnson was charged Thursday with aggravated murder. The 26 -year-old was arrested on an outstanding warrant for a March robbery, shortly after he arrived at the scene of the murders on East 63rd.

The victims are David Cousin; Jr., 35; Johnson's ex-girlfriend, Takeyra Collins, 25; Armond Johnson, Jr., 6; and Aubree Stone, 2. Police say Cousin , who lives near Collins and the children, was just arriving home when he was shot.

The Fox 8 I-Team is uncovering more about how Cleveland homicide detectives have started building a case against Johnson.

Multiple sources tell the I-Team key evidence in the case are cell phone records , which detectives believe tie Johnson to the crime scene.

Sources also say they believe Johnson used Collins' phone at the crime scene to send a misleading text to others, making it appear someone else was responsible for the crimes.

Johnson was also wanted for a 2013 domestic violence charge. Collins was the victim in that case, and as the I-Team and Fox 8’s Jessica Dill reported Thursday Collins had filed and was granted a restraining order against Johnson at the time.

Sources say the two got back together in March after Johnson was released from prison after serving about four years for several charges including felonious assault.

The two, however, recently broke up.

Police have not yet given a motive for the murders.

Continuing coverage here. 

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - Beachwood police have released body camera and dash cam video from a shooting incident in June.

Police say Jaquan Jones, 19, ran over an officer's foot on June 27 in the parking lot of Beachwood Mall.

The officer fired two rounds at the suspect, who has still not been captured.

Jaquan Jones (Courtesy: Beachwood Police Department)

Police say Jones was suspected of shoplifting at the time.

He's now wanted for felonious assault.

Friday, Beachwood police released new video surrounding the incident.

They tell the FOX 8 I-Team the officer has still not returned to work.

He was injured and put on administrative leave during the investigation.

Continuing coverage here.

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland police have a man in custody following a shooting, a standoff and the death of a woman at an apartment in the 200 block of Mathews Ave around 1:50 a.m. Monday.

According to a press release, residents called because bullets were flying through the walls.

When officers arrived, they say the apartment where the gunshots were coming from was barricaded, and they weren’t able to get in.

Officers provided cover for residents so the rest of the apartment building could be evacuated, according to a press release.

Police were able to establish contact with the man inside the apartment and were able to get him to come out on his own after several hours.

The body of a 33-year-old woman was found inside the apartment, police say.

She had a visible gunshot wound, but they say her official cause of death has not been determined, according to a press release.

No charges have been filed.

The man is in the Ashland County Jail.

Neither he nor the victim has been identified.

JEROMESVILLE, Ohio - Three children were killed in a house fire in Jeromesville. The I-Team confirmed the tragic news early Monday morning.

It happened at 234 Perry Township Road 1550. The initial call went out at 12:45 a.m. Monday.

The Jeromesville Fire Department said when they arrived, the structure was fully involved. "With an aggressive fire attack, search efforts were unsuccessful," according to a release from the department.

When the fire was put out, searches were attempted by fire personnel. Three people were  transported to University Hospitals with injuries that appeared to be non life-threatening.  Three bodies were recovered in the home, the fire department said.

The victims are 12, 4 and 2-years-old.

A woman tells us her 12-year-old daughter was killed in the fire.

She says Faithlyn Bogavich was staying the night at her dad's house when the fire started.

Faithlyn Bogavich

The woman says her 14-year-old son was also in the home, but escaped.

There is no word on what caused the fire.

Stay with FOX 8 as this story develops.

NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio-- A Newburgh Heights police officer found a man unconscious in the driver's seat of a vehicle and immediately started doing everything he could to help save him.

Lt. Mike Marniella found the man slumped behind the wheel of a vehicle Thursday afternoon on East 66th Street and Harvard Avenue in Cleveland.

"A citizen told him about the man while he was on a traffic call," said Chief John Majoy. "It is a few blocks outside of our jurisdiction, but Lt. Marniella knew it was important to go and check it out. So he had dispatch call Cleveland EMS and headed over to find out if he could help."

When the officer arrived, he found the man unconscious and the car in drive.

Body camera video shows the officer put the vehicle in park as he attempts to wake the man up.

"I tried shaking him, but got no response," Marniella told FOX 8. "I could see he was blue at the time."

The lieutenant ran to his cruiser and got Narcan. While the Narcan worked, the man was struggling to breathe.

With the help of a citizen, the man was removed from the vehicle and the officer started chest compressions.

A few minutes later Cleveland EMS arrived and the man was taken to the hospital. He is expected to be OK.

While the lieutenant said he was just doing his job, the chief disagrees. The chief added that the officer will soon be receiving a life saving award.

"He saved his life, there is no doubt in my mind," Majoy said.

CLEVELAND-- Cleveland police are investigating the death of a woman who was found on Harvard Avenue near East 71st Street.

Homicide detectives were on scene late Monday afternoon. Police said a subcontractor for the city of Cleveland made the discovery in a basement at about 1 p.m.

Sources said the woman's body appears to have been there for a while.

Police are not sure of the cause of death. The woman's remains have been sent to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio – Police are investigating the shooting death of a 17-year-old that happened Monday night.

Police sources say the homicide happened around 9:08 p.m. near Mayfield and Eddington roads.

According to a press release, officers found the victim in the street with a single gunshot wound.

He died at the hospital.

Witnesses say the teen was shot in the parking lot at the corner of Mayfield and Eddington.

Police have not identified any suspects.

If you have information, call the Cleveland Heights Police Department Tip Line at (216)291-5010.

This is the first homicide in Cleveland Heights this year.

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — A trial is under way for a Cleveland police supervisor accused of dereliction of duty during a chase that ended with two unarmed black people being killed in a barrage of police gunfire.

Randolph Daley and Patricia Coleman were among nearly 100 police officers involved in the 2012 chase that ended with officers firing 137 shots.

Cleveland later paid the families of the two people killed in the chase a total of $3 million to settle a lawsuit.

A lawyer for one of the two supervisors says the trial that began with jury selection on Monday is more about politics than justice.

The two are facing misdemeanor traffic charges related to the chase and were not among the 13 officers who fired shots at the car.

Randolph Daley’s case was continued after his attorney, Henry Hilow, was unable to attend jury selection Monday in East Cleveland Municipal Court due to a prior obligation in federal court.

Hilow and Daley were in court Tuesday and left shortly after they were granted a continuance.

The trial for the other supervisor Patricia Coleman is continuing.

The trial has been sparked by arguments between the defense attorney and prosecutor.

Continuing coverage on the deadly chase here.

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Sandusky police are investigating after four people allegedly overdosed at Cedar Point Tuesday afternoon.

Police were called to the amusement park shortly after noon.

Detectives say the four people went to the park together. Two became ill inside the park and two outside the park. All four were taken to the hospital.

“What we know at this time is the four just arrived at Cedar Point when this happened; two of them did not even get inside the park yet,” said Sandusky Sgt. Kevin Youskievicz.

He said they are currently investigating the matter. No charges have been filed.

A Sandusky police officer was also taken to the hospital as a precaution. Sandusky Police Chief John Orzech says the officer is expected to be OK.

Sandusky Fire Chief Rick Wilcox confirmed to FOX 8 that his department transported the four, as well as a police officer to the hospital.

FOX 8 News reached out to Cedar Point who told us any additional information would have to come from police.

Stay with us for more updates as they become available.

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio-- It will be several more days before jurors in East Cleveland will decide if a Cleveland police supervisor should be convicted of misdemeanor charges related to a 2012 chase and deadly shooting.

The trial for Cleveland Police Sgt. Patricia Coleman started Monday and is expected to last at least until the end of the week.

Coleman is facing a charge of dereliction of duty in connection with the chase that ended in East Cleveland with two unarmed suspects being killed. There were nearly 100 police officers involved in the chase.

Coleman is not one of the officers who fired shots at the suspects.

A couple of the officers involved in the chase testified Tuesday.

Her attorney Kevin Spellacy said his client did not violate any laws and said the case is going to trial for political reasons.

The East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons strongly disagrees.

"This complaint is totally warranted there were 62 police cars that went through the city of East Cleveland," Hemmons said. "I am here as the representative of the city of East Cleveland and am seeking justice on behalf of the citizens."

It is not known if Coleman will take the stand.

Continuing coverage on the deadly chase here

SANDUSKY, Ohio-- Two people remained hospitalized Wednesday after allegedly overdosing shortly after arriving at Cedar Point Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Detectives said two became ill inside the park and two outside the park.

All four, who were there together, were taken to the hospital, along with a Sandusky police officer. The officer was taken as a precaution and later released.

"The officers, Sandusky fire and security and medical personnel at Cedar Point did a great job making sure the four got the medical help they needed," said Sgt. Kevin Youskievicz.

Police body camera video shows the officer getting Narcan for the two people who were found outside of the park.

"They were going in and out of consciousness," Youskievicz said. "We don't know exactly what they took."

A police report stated the one man said they ate brownies laced with marijuana before arriving at the park.

"You positive all you guys took was weed brownies?" one officer can be heard on the body camera video. "What about her? Did she take anything else? Because it looks like it is hitting her a little harder."

No charges have been filed.

Youskievicz said he believes all four will be OK.

"There was a very quick response and that is always important," Youskievicz said. "The number one concern for Cedar Point is the safety of the guests and everyone worked together to make sure they got the help the needed."

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A case that took six years to get to trial may soon be in the hands of a jury.

The prosecution in the case against Cleveland Police Sgt. Patricia Coleman rested Wednesday and the defense is expected to present their side Friday.

The jury was not in the courtroom Thursday as Defense Atty. Kevin Spellacy argued to have the case dismissed, mainly due to the statements made by East Cleveland Capt. Scott Gardner Wednesday.

Gardner, the officer who signed the charges filed against Coleman, testified he was asked to sign the paperwork but knew nothing about them.

Gardner admitted during the third day of trial that an assistant county prosecutor wanted the charges filed against five Cleveland supervisors involved in the November 2012 chase, so he signed the paperwork but stressed he had no direct knowledge of any criminal conduct by any of the defendants.

East Cleveland Prosecutor Willa Hemmons argued the officer acted properly by filing the charges when asked by the assistant prosecutor .

Gardner testified under oath that his part of the investigation dealt with the fatal shooting that took place in East Cleveland following the Cleveland police chase. He said he reviewed those notes but had no knowledge of any criminal acts by the supervisors.

Coleman is facing misdemeanor dereliction of duty charges for failing to properly supervise her subordinates’ traffic violations.

When asked under direct examination by Atty. Kevin Spellacy if he had any evidence that Coleman violated the laws she is charged with Gardner said “I do not, no.”

“While Criminal Rule 3 does not reference personal knowledge, the oath or affirmation of the Complaint requires some knowledge of the violation,” Spellacy’s motion for dismissal stated.

East Cleveland Judge William Dawson disagreed and ruled against the dismissal.

Coleman is facing a charge of dereliction of duty in connection with the chase that ended in East Cleveland with two unarmed suspects being killed. There were nearly 100 police officers involved in the chase.

Coleman is not one of the officers who fired shots at the suspects.

Spellacy also stressed that not one of the prosecutors witnesses said Coleman did anything wrong.

Spellacy also brought up that Hemmons dismissed three of the supervisors' charges after they agreed to make a $2,500 donation to the East Cleveland law enforcement trust fund.

“It’s extortion,” Spellacy said.

Hemmons declined to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, the attorney for the other supervisor facing similar charges in East Cleveland filed a motion Thursday to have Officer Randolph Dailey's case dismissed.

Atty. Henry Hilow filed the motion Thursday saying the charge should be dismissed due to "severe prosecutorial misconduct" by East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons.

"Ms. Hemmons would only allow for the dismissal of the charges on the sole condition that the defendants pay a cash sum to the City of East Cleveland," Hilow's motion stated. "Her initial demand was $5,000 per defendant."

Hilow's motion also states that Hemmons improperly used "Garrity statements." A Garrity statement is a statement given to internal affairs.

Hilow states that a 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Garrity v. New Jersey prohibits Garrity statements from being used in criminal proceedings.

"The State of Ohio is not permitted to make direct or derivative use of a public employee's compelled statement in a criminal action under any circumstances," Hilow wrote in his motion.

East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons maintains she acted properly.

Continuing coverage on the deadly chase here,