An appeals court has signed off on a 3½‑year prison term for a man who admitted ramming and dragging a Cleveland police officer during a chaotic street takeover, keeping him behind bars and turning up the heat on the city’s crackdown on such events.
The three‑judge panel upheld the sentence for Andre Fusco after his guilty pleas tied to the July 1, 2024, incident on the Detroit–Shoreway bridge. The ruling keeps the high‑profile case squarely in the middle of Cleveland’s debate over how aggressively to punish dangerous takeover scenes.
According to Cleveland.com, the Eighth District Court of Appeals rejected Fusco’s appeal arguments and noted that prosecutors had other evidence on hand that would have supported the prison term. Fusco, 31, of Ashtabula, told the court he “got caught up in a mob and made a mistake,” the outlet reported.
Inside the Appeals Court Ruling
The panel affirmed Fusco’s three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence after reviewing his plea to aggravated vehicular assault and his separate plea to failing to comply with a police order. Cleveland.com reports that court records show he had four prior convictions for failing to comply and that he also violated terms of supervised release.
Fusco claimed his trial attorney was ineffective for not objecting to body‑camera footage used at sentencing, but the appeals panel found no reversible error and allowed the sentence to stand.
The July 1 Takeover
Prosecutors say the incident began when more than 100 dirt‑bike riders and other vehicles tried to cross the Detroit–Shoreway bridge into downtown, setting off a dangerous crowd scene that officers moved in to disperse. Court filings and reporting say Fusco’s vehicle struck a uniformed officer and dragged the officer before other officers stepped in, Fusco later entered guilty pleas in Cuyahoga County court.
The case quickly became one of several high‑profile takeover episodes that city officials have cited as proof that these large, unsanctioned gatherings pose serious risks to bystanders and police alike.
Context: Cleveland’s Crackdown on Takeovers
Local prosecutors have been pushing for prison time in multiple takeover cases, arguing that the events endanger the public and can block emergency responders. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office has publicly highlighted recent sentences tied to takeover activity, including multi‑year prison terms for people involved in fall 2024 incidents.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office officials have said the penalties are meant to deter repeat dangerous behavior and send a clear message to would‑be participants.
Legal Implications
The appeals ruling underscores that once a defendant admits to conduct that harmed an officer, there is limited room later to challenge the length of the sentence. The judges pointed to Fusco’s prior convictions and his record of misconduct in concluding that the original term was appropriate, which narrows any ineffective‑assistance claims unless a clear procedural error shows up in the record.
Because Fusco also violated conditions of supervised release, he faces even steeper legal hurdles in trying to shave time off his sentence on further review.
It remains unclear whether Fusco will ask the Ohio Supreme Court to take a discretionary look at the case. For now, the Eighth District’s decision leaves his prison term intact and keeps the Detroit–Shoreway bridge incident squarely in the broader citywide fight over how to shut down dangerous street takeovers.
