A loud-music call at a Westlake condominium complex escalated quickly last Sunday, when officers say they found a 13-year-old girl behind the wheel of a red Ford Focus with a loaded handgun tucked under the seat.
The girl, identified in police documents as being from Cleveland, was taken to the Westlake Police Department to wait for pickup by a relative. Officers also reported recovering a pistol magazine from a door pocket. The incident unfolded at a condo complex on Center Ridge Road after neighbors complained about blaring music, according to the department.
According to a police press release reported by Cleveland.com, two adults with the teen — a 24-year-old Cleveland woman described as the girl’s guardian and a 19-year-old male passenger — admitted they knew about the firearm. Both were arrested at the scene.
The release states that the adults were charged with improper handling of a firearm and endangering children. Officers confiscated the weapon as evidence, according to the account.
What the charges mean
Under state law, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle in a way that makes it accessible to the driver or passengers can trigger an improper-handling charge, and firing a gun from a vehicle is also off-limits. Ohio Revised Code section 2923.16 lays out how firearms must be stored and transported to avoid that violation.
Separately, endangering-children charges can apply when a parent, guardian, or person in control of a child creates a substantial risk to that child’s safety. Depending on what investigators and prosecutors conclude, penalties can range from misdemeanors to felony counts. ORC 2919.22 defines those offenses and the possible punishments.
Not an isolated incident
This is not the first time Westlake officers have said they have found unsecured firearms in cars carrying kids. In late April, officers pulled over a driver and later discovered a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat while two young boys were in the back seat, a case that also led to charges and a police warning about unsecured weapons. WOIO/Cleveland19 reported on that incident.
In the June case, both adults were arrested and are facing the charges listed in the police release, while the juvenile was released to a family member after initial processing, according to Cleveland.com. Prosecutors will review the case and decide on formal filings as the Westlake Police Department’s investigation continues.
