Crime, crashes most popular Chronicle-Telegram website stories

Breaking news — usually of the crime and calamity variety — dominated the listings of this year's most popular stories, based on web traffic. In descending order, these are the top 10 most popular stories on the Chronicle's website. "Amherst man kills self during traffic stop; was facing felonies in Cuyahoga County," Oct. 29Cuyahoga County sheriff's deputies pulled over Jason Swain, 48, of Amherst into the parking lot of Trinity Evangelical Free Church on Oct. 28 to serve an arrest warrant. Swain had been indicted in August on multiple charges of telecommunications fraud, tampering with evidence and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, related to work at his trucking firm. Deputies got no response from Swain after pulling him over, and they discovered that he had apparently killed himself. "Police officer killed in Bluffton; ensuing chase ends in Elyria (VIDEO)," March 31Early on the morning of March 31, police spotted an Infiniti sedan speeding through Marion County. Bluffton police Officer Dominic Francis was laying out stop sticks when he was fatally struck by the car. The Infiniti sedan led police on a chase through central Ohio, finally being abandoned in Hancock County. Shortly after that, a Toyota Prius was stolen, leading police on another chase through Summit and Medina counties, finally ending in Elyria on Route 57 near the intersection with Chestnut Ridge Road. Dante Tate was taken into custody. He was sentenced to two years in prison in Medina County, and he, Emin Johnson and Zachary Love face further charges in central Ohio related to the chase and Francis' death. "North Ridgeville police called to Hung's Chaddwyck Lane house Tuesday," May 25Both Lorain County Commissioner Michelle Hung and former county 911 director Harry Williamson had admitted to an affair. Williamson's marriage had ended and Hung had filed for divorce by the time police were called to Hung's North Ridgeville home March 24. In a statement on her Facebook page, Hung said that she was going out with Williamson, when her husband, Jeffrey, and his girlfriend, whom she identified as Rebecca Campbell, came home. She was advised by her attorney to call the police. She said Jeffrey Hung and Campbell tried to impede her departure, and said her daughter's privacy was invaded. "Six seriously injured in South Lorain crash," May 10A Ford F-150 pickup and a Ford Fusion were stopped on Grove Avenue at the intersection of Homewood Drive. A black Audi, speeding at an estimated 100 mph, struck a Ford Ranger that was heading west on Homewood, and then struck the Fusion. Irelis Rosa-Santana of Cleveland, a passenger in the Audi, was killed in the crash. Among those critically injured were Melvin Sanchez, 36, of Cleveland, who was in the Audi; Michael Tackett, 23, who was driving the Ranger; and LeBron Sanchez, 35. "2 in custody after search of North Ridgeville home," July 22Investigators from North Ridgeville police and the Lorain County SWAT team were in and out of a house all day on Forest Wood Drive, seizing guns, money and suspected drugs. Two people were taken into custody, but it is unclear what charges, if any, they might face. "Police investigate fatal shooting at Sheffield McDonald's UPDATE/911 recordings," Jan. 6A black Chevrolet Impala pulled next to a white GMC Acadia in the McDonald's parking lot on Detroit Road on the morning of Jan. 6. A hand emerged from the passenger side window with a gun. Shots rang out. Milenna Lopez, who'd just been promoted to general manager of the restaurant, was dead. Suspicion centered on James Kimbrough, the father of two of Lopez's children. After a three-month hunt, Kimbrough was taken into custody in Lorain. He is awaiting trial on a host of charges. "Man who bought former Elyria mayor's house at sheriff's sale says Bill Grace won't leave," July 22From 1999 to 2011, Bill Grace served three terms as mayor of Elyria. In 2004, he bought a house on Calann Drive. That home was foreclosed on in 2019, and in March, it was bought at a sheriff's sale by Montress Sharpe. Sharpe said Grace, who had misdemeanor tax charges filed in July for what he called a paperwork error, was stalling in vacating the home. "Elyria man shot, killed in LaGrange Twp. was doting father, family says," Feb. 1Sheriff's deputies were called to a Whitehead Road home for a shooting on the night of Jan. 30. Dead at the scene was CJ Sayers, 24, who was engaged in a custody exchange of his 2-year-old daughter, Ava, with the toddler's mother. Kody Rutledge was charged with the homicide and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced Dec. 15 to 11-15 years in prison. "2 dead at Lakeview Park Beach (UPDATED)," May 31Tragedy struck on the day after Memorial Day when a teenager, later identified as Isaiah Barnes, 14, failed to resurface in the water near Lakeview Park beach. Jesus Del Valle Rodriguez Jr., 20, went in to try to help, but ultimately both died. "Former Elyria police officer booked into jail on tampering with evidence charge," March 25On March 9, Patrick Jama, a 10-year veteran of the Elyria Police Department, was put on paid administrative leave. He resigned 13 days later, and it soon became clear why. Jama was booked into the Lorain County Jail on a charge of tampering with evidence, based on a secret grand jury indictment. Court records indicate that Jama pleaded guilty two months later and entered into the pretrial diversion program, which he successfully completed in December, when charges were dismissed. He also surrendered his Ohio peace officer certificate.