AUSTINTOWN - A truck driver facing 21 counts of attempted murder for driving his truck into a strip club early Saturday morning waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday.
Mahoning County Area Court 4 Judge David D'Apolito bound the case of 44-year-old Suren Aramyan of Las Vegas over to a common pleas court grand jury.
Aramyan was in court less than five minutes for his appearance after his arrest early Saturday morning at Club 76, 5335 Seventy Six Drive.
According to reports, Aramyan had been drinking alcohol at the club before being ordered to leave. Witnesses said he went to his semi truck, and drove through the back portion of the building.
He faces 21 counts of attempted murder as well as felony charges of inducing panic and felonious assault.
Misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and operating a commercial vehicle while intoxicated will be dropped once he is indicted on the felonies, said Assistant Prosecutor Ken Cardinal.
Aramyan has been in the Mahoning County Jail on $2.5 million bond since his arraignment Monday. He was represented Wednesday by attorney Ron Yarwood.
According to reports, Aramyan backed up his truck, struck two vehicles and drove around the building, striking a street light post. He then hit four parked cars, reports said.
Witnesses said Aramyan stumbled out of the truck and pointed a gun at two men who went to check on him.
Officers arrived and saw Aramyan threatening to kill two dozen or so people outside the strip club. According to reports, officers used a stun gun on Aramyan after he struggled with officers.
Officers found a handgun loaded with blanks in Aramyan's truck.
Prosecutors did agree to a motion by the defense to have property inside Aramyan's truck returned to his wife. D'Apolito said that Austintown police must witness the transfer of the property.