Arrest Warrants Issued for Two Men in Cleveland Street Takeover Incident
Cleveland police have issued arrest warrants for two Summit County men linked to a recent “street takeover” incident in Cleveland.
The suspects, Gauge Michael Thomas Franklin from Akron and John Alan Dietrich from Barberton, are wanted for aggravated arson, as detailed in an arrest warrant obtained by 3News. They are accused of participating in the street takeover that occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 15, at West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue.
According to the warrant, Cleveland police allege that Franklin and Dietrich “knowingly and purposefully” poured a fire accelerant on a city street and ignited it, creating a substantial risk of serious physical harm to the surrounding crowd.
This incident follows a weekend of chaotic events in Cleveland. Just after 11 p.m. on Saturday, vehicles took over I-90 westbound, effectively shutting down the freeway and halting traffic. Police reported that the suspects shot off fireworks and attempted to start fires, but their efforts were thwarted by slick road conditions from recent rain.
Additional street takeovers occurred over the weekend at several locations, including West 65th Street, East 93rd Street, Opportunity Corridor, Steelyard Commons, East 105th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and East 55th Street and Woodland Avenue.
In response to these incidents, Cleveland City Council has announced a hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning to address the situation. “The safety of our citizens is our top priority, and the City Administration must take proactive measures to ensure events like this do not disrupt our community. We need to ask critical questions and demand answers,” stated Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin.
