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Judge orders maximum sentence for teen driver of stolen Kia in deadly crash

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Judge orders maximum sentence for teen driver of stolen Kia in deadly crash


CLEVELAND — A Cuyahoga County judge hopes to set an example by imposing a maximum sentence for a teen labeled as a “Kia Boy.”

Tuesday, Judge Nancy Margaret Russo ordered a 16-year prison sentence and lifetime driver’s license revocation for Monroe Larkin, III.

The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and felonious assault for his role in an August 2023 crash that killed one woman and critically injured another.

“She was full of life, laughter and love, the kind of person who could light up a room without even trying,” Leslie Reyes Figueroa said of her younger sister during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing.

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Her other sister, Gardenia Calderon, added, “A lot of things in this life are not for certain. But this, growing old with my sisters, I was sure of.”

Janet Reyes was riding in a car with her friend in August 2023 when a stolen Kia Optima hit the pair.

Woman dies after police say stolen KIA crashes into car in Old Brooklyn

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Woman dies after police say stolen KIA crashes into car in Old Brooklyn

The 21-year-old was killed on impact, and her friend driving suffered a traumatic brain injury and lost an eye. The friend was unable to attend Tuesday’s hearing because of her ongoing recovery from the crash.

“My incredible sister, who had her whole life ahead of her, [was] taken by boys who call themselves ‘Kia Boys’ – running around our neighborhoods, causing trouble, causing harm to our communities and now causing death to my sister and badly injuring her friend,” Calderon said.

Larkin was driving the stolen Kia. Surveillance video showed the car reaching 88mph on Pearl Road before colliding with the other vehicle at State Road.

“You caused this. You caused their pain. You caused the death of another human being, you interrupted whatever life that person was supposed to have. That’s a heavy burden you’re going to have to carry,” Judge Russo told Larkin from the bench.

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Reyes’ family begged for a sentence long enough to teach a lesson. Larkin’s defense attorney asked the judge to consider his client’s age and troubled home life.

Reyes was the second person killed in a crash with a stolen Kia in less than a month. The judge noted the trend of young people stealing cars plaguing Northeast Ohio.

“I hear a lot of people talking to me of – ‘Oh, the person is 17, the person is 16.’ But you knew exactly what you were doing,” Russo told Larkin. “Everybody in this room knows about the terror that’s going on in this community from people who use their age as some kind of shield for committing criminal acts.”

When Larkin’s case was bound over from juvenile court to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, he was facing nearly a dozen charges, including murder.

He accepted a plea deal to reduce the charges to one count each of felonious assault and vehicular homicide. Before sentencing, he briefly apologized to the Reyes family and told them he accepted full responsibility for his actions.

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The judge ordered two consecutive eight-year sentences for each charge and told him he would lose his driver’s license indefinitely.

Reyes’ family said they were satisfied with the sentence and hoped it would prevent other families from experiencing their grief.

“The truth is there are many more kids like you in the streets,” Calderon told Larkin in court. “And if we continue letting them get away with horrific crimes, how can our communities get any better?”

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Cleveland, OH

City of Cleveland activates warming centers with brutal cold approaching

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City of Cleveland activates warming centers with brutal cold approaching


CLEVELAND — Ohio is getting a jumpstart on winter. 

Through the weekend, highs will drop with wind chills dipping into the negatives, according to Spectrum News 1 meteorologists. To help residents get out of the cold, the City of Cleveland is activating its warming centers through Monday.

Here are the warming centers that will be available: 

  • Michael Zone Recreation Center
    6301 Lorain Ave.
    (216) 664-3373
  • EJ Kovacic Recreation Center
    6250 St. Clair Avenue
    (216) 664-4140
  • Zelma George Recreation Center
    3155 Martin L. King Blvd.
    (216) 420-8800
  • Collinwood Recreation Center
    16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
    (216) 420-8323

And here’s how long they’ll be open for, Saturday through Monday:

  • Saturday, Dec. 13: 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 14: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Monday, Dec. 15: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

For overnight shelters, RTA passes can be provided to help with transportation to a nearby facility, the city said. 



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Cleveland Water Department truck falls into sinkhole and breaks gas line on Cleveland’s West Side

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Cleveland Water Department truck falls into sinkhole and breaks gas line on Cleveland’s West Side


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A Cleveland Water Department truck working on a water main break in Ohio City was partially swallowed up into a sinkhole, breaking a gas line underneath the street.

Cleveland Water truck swallowed up(WOIO)

The incident occurred near West 28th Street and Chatham Avenue late Thursday afternoon.

There was no fire or injuries, according to Lt. Michael Norman of the Cleveland Fire Department.

The gas company is on scene working to fix the leak.

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Bob Dylan Ohio tickets: Best prices for 2026 Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton concerts

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Bob Dylan Ohio tickets: Best prices for 2026 Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton concerts


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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Music legend Bob Dylan is bringing his “Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour” to Ohio in 2026, making major stops at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre on April 10, along with the Palace Theatre in Columbus on April 9 and Winsupply Theatre in Dayton on April 12.

This Ohio leg of the tour continues Dylan’s ongoing 2026 concert run in support of his 2020 release, “Rough And Rowdy Ways,” an album widely celebrated as among his finest entries in decades.

How to get tickets to see Bob Dylan in Ohio

Tickets for the upcoming Ohio concerts are selling fast, with some vendors reporting fewer than 100 tickets remaining. However, you can still get pass discounts on trusted third-party ticket platforms including Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, Viagogo and Ticket City.

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New customers can save more with these discount codes:

  • Vivid Seats customers get $20 off ticket orders of $200 or more by using the code CLEVELAND20 at checkout.
  • SeatGeek customers get $5 off orders of $300 or more with code TAKE5.

Here are the cheapest ticket prices currently available to the upcoming Bob Dylan concerts in Ohio, as of Dec. 11:

April 9, 2026: Columbus, OH — Palace Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $196
  • SeatGeek: $194
  • StubHub: $198
  • Viagogo: $192
  • Ticket City: $204

April 10, 2026: Cleveland, OH — KeyBank State Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $217
  • SeatGeek: $282
  • StubHub: $332
  • Viagogo: $322
  • Ticket City: $218

April 12, 2026: Dayton, OH — Winsupply Theatre

  • Vivid Seats: $261
  • SeatGeek: $288
  • StubHub: $252
  • Viagogo: $245
  • Ticket City: $262

What Ohio fans can expect from Dylan’s shows

Ohio fans will experience more than just great seats. For his first date in Columbus, Dylan takes the stage at the historic Palace Theatre, a venue known for its warm acoustics and lavish 1920s-style charm.

Then comes Cleveland, where Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre will host an intimate, phone-free performance. Fans will have electronics secured in Yondr pouches to ensure a fully immersive concert experience. The embedded nostalgia of the theater pairs perfectly with Dylan’s timeless classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Finally, Dayton fans can join the celebration of Dylan’s vast musical legacy at Winsupply Theatre. By choosing acoustically superior venues throughout Ohio, Dylan seems to be deliberately crafting a more personal connection with audiences, transforming each stop into a storytelling event rather than just another headlining show.



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