WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — A jury in Lake County has found the owners of the Shoregate Towers apartment building guilty of building code violations.
Owners Lemma Getachew and Guenet Indale will be sentenced by Willoughby Municipal Court Judge Marisa Cornachio on Jan. 16 after being found guilty on four counts of property maintenance code violations. The charges were first filed just days after the parking garage collapsed at the building in Willowick on Aug. 23.
Specifically, Getachew and Indale were cited for an infestation of rats and cockroaches, failing to replace missing balcony guards, inoperable elevators, and the accumulation of garbage.
Getachew's problems do not end with his sentencing on Tuesday. He is also facing 45 criminal charges from the Willowick Building Department for various building maintenance violations and failing to comply with city ordinances. Getachew pleaded not guilty to each charge with the trial set to take place starting Feb. 5 in Willoughby Municipal Court.
The latest complaint alleges that Getachew unaddressed safety issues, including failure to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout the buildings and failure to repair damaged or broken fixtures and appliances, as well as other building property code violations.
Previous Reporting:
- Willowick Building Department files 45 charges against owner of Shoregate Towers
- 6 weeks after Willowick parking garage collapse, little has changed for Shoregate Towers residents
- 3 weeks after parking garage collapse at Shoregate Towers apartments in Willowick, tenants don't have access to answers or their cars
- New photos, video show extent of damage after parking garage collapse at Shoregate Towers apartment building in Willowick