Crime briefs
July 18, 2002 Uniontown
Vandalism reported
City police have received at least seven reports of graffiti spray-painted on buildings and vehicles since Monday.
The list includes the back doors of the Uniontown Public Library on Jefferson Street, a city-owned garbage Dumpster placed at Fike’s Dairy on Monroe Street, windows on two Neubauer’s Flowers Inc. delivery trucks, a Verizon van parked in the rear of 27 W. Church St., the rear of a building at 28 W. Fayette St., a building at 16 Union St. and the rear of the A-1 Printing Co. building on Morgantown Street. Graffiti was also visible on the Pizza Outlet, a vacant storefront on South Street and other locations.
Detective Phillip Jones is investigating. A surveillance video camera at the library recorded the painting.
North Union Twp.
Guns, drugs found
State police arrested Eric Christian Gibbons, 21, of Edison Street, Uniontown, on charges of delivery of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of firearms not to be carried without a license and counts of receiving stolen property.
The charges stemmed from a traffic stop at 8 p.m. Tuesday on Coal Street at West Penn Boulevard. Police said Gibbons was a passenger in the car. The driver was not identified.
Police searched the car and in a brown carrying bag in the back seat reportedly found a stolen 9-mm Beretta pistol, .22-caliber Jennings pistol, one bag of powdered cocaine, a weighing scale and small plastic bags. A bag of marijuana and $1,100 were seized from Gibbons, police said. Magazines in both handguns were loaded, police noted.
He was arraigned by District Justice Deberah Kula and committed to the Fayette County Prison in lieu of a $10,000 percentage bond.
Washington County
Arrests made
The Washington County sheriff’s office Wednesday swept through the region, seeking parents wanted for non-payment of child support.
Numerous area police departments, including Brownsville’s, participated in the warrant sweep, making 38 arrests and collecting $13,900 in court costs and support payments.
Among the local people arrested were David Quigley of Clarksville, Jack Lallier of California, Shawn Lexis of Elco, Robert Allen Wade of Waynesburg, Shawn Bumpass of Brownsville and Monica Irwin of Brownsville.
After the round-up, the county’s domestic relations office received a large influx of telephone calls from others who owe money and believe they may be sought. The sheriff’s office said some of those arrested for non-payment of child support may face additional unrelated charges.
Dawson
Three hurt in crash
State police said three teens were taken to area hospitals after a one-car accident on a state road Tuesday at 7:23 p.m. The driver, Abbey Taffoni, 17, of Adah, was treated at UPMC in Pittsburgh, and passengers Chris Keifer, 14, and Chris Soliday, 15, both of Dawson, were taken to Highlands Hospital.
Uniontown
Couple charged
City police charged Tracy and Joseph Giffin of 32 N. Grant St., Uniontown, with aggravated assault and simple assault after a disturbance at their home at 11:30 p.m. Monday.
Uniontown
Man accused
City police charged Patrick Phelan, 45, of 54 Pennsylvania Ave., Uniontown, with driving under the influence after a 3 a.m. Sunday traffic stop on Gallatin Avenue.
Uniontown
Man charged
Gary Brozik, 38, of 6 Rose Lane, Smithfield, was charged with fleeing and eluding police, recklessly endangering another person and traffic law violations after a 3 p.m. Saturday incident. City police said they attempted to pull him over along North Gallatin Avenue due to an expired inspection sticker on his vehicle, but he fled and led police on a chase that ended on Tabaj Junkyard Road.
Uniontown
Two cited
City police cited Thomas Beal, 35, of New York and Cynthia Weimer, 22, of 70 Lemon St., Uniontown, with harassment after a disturbance at 82 Lemon St. at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Uniontown
Gas line ruptured
City police said the fire department and Columbia Gas workers responded to a ruptured gas line at 103 Madison Ave. just before 10 a.m. Monday. The gas line was repaired and nobody was evacuated.
Uniontown
Robbery reported
Paul J. Garred told city police that a black man with braided hair and wearing a knit cap knocked him to the ground at 10 p.m. Monday in Rotary Park and held him down while he stole his wallet.
Uniontown
Juvenile arrested
City police arrested a juvenile for allegedly stealing Ronald Gouker’s 2002 Chevrolet Suburban at 2 p.m. Monday from Gouker’s Garage on Stewart Avenue. Police said they talked to an Onstar employee, who tracked the vehicle via satellite to the Lambert Road area in Masontown, where they found the vehicle and arrested the juvenile.
Uniontown
Vehicles collide
City police said vehicles driven by Loretta Jordan, 30, of Lenox Street, Valerie Johnson, 39, of Harley Davidson Road, Farmington, and Ryan A. Zundel, 17, of Connellsville collided on Easy Street at Route 21. Two juveniles on Jordan’s vehicle suffered minor injuries.
Uniontown
Charges filed
City police issued a warrant charging Peter A. Sefcheck, 21, of 323 Virginia Circle, Uniontown, with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, underage drinking and careless driving. The warrant was served July 12 in District Justice Mark Blair’s office, where Sefcheck was attending a traffic hearing, police said.
Uniontown
Man charged
City police filed charges of driving with a suspended license against Raymond M. Foster, 18, of 79 Murray Ave., Uniontown, after officers saw him driving on Crow Alley at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police said they attempted to pull him over, but he fled and managed to escape.
Uniontown
Minor cited
Antwain R. Oliver, 18, of 215 Bank St., Brownsville, was cited by city police for underage drinking and public drunkenness at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday when officers reportedly saw him walking along Lemon Street with two bottles of beer in his hand.
Uniontown
Mower stolen
Jacqueline Lippert of 103 Pennsylvania Ave. reported Tuesday morning that her 21-inch Yard Machine lawn mower was stolen from her back yard, city police said.
Uniontown
Citations issued
City police said Jane W. Wilson, 63, of Uniontown was cited for public drunkenness at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday after police saw her at Main Street and Gallatin Avenue.
Also, Gary Jordan, 26, of 11 Mifflin Ave., Uniontown, was cited for public drunkenness at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday on Coolspring Street, police said.
Uniontown
Windshield damaged
City police said a hole from what appeared to have been a BB shot was found in the windshield of a car owned by James B. Saunders of Gaithersburg, Md., Wednesday at 178 Coolspring St.
Saltlick Twp.
Windows broken
State police said several windows on construction vehicles at Purco Co. Inc. on Clinton Road were broken between July 10 and 12.
Menallen Twp.
Two cited
State police cited Kevin Greg Wilson, 41, and Ruth Ann Wilson, 44, with harassment after a domestic dispute at 523 Searights Village at 5:47 p.m. Monday.
Hopwood
Cigarettes stolen
Two men stole five cartons of Newport cigarettes from the Dairy Mart at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday. State police described each suspect as white, 18 to 20 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 150 to 160 pounds. One was wearing a black shirt and shorts and the second was wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Anybody with information should contact state police.
Dunbar Twp.
Injuries reported
State police said Ralph McGarrity, 57, of Dunbar and Meghan Cernuska, 18, of Dawson were involved in an accident on Route 119 at Pechin Road at 2:47 a.m. Tuesday. Cernuska was treated at Uniontown Hospital for moderate head and facial injuries.
Upper Tyrone Twp.
Men cited
State police cited James Cockrell of Scottdale and Clyde Mensch of Dunbar with criminal mischief after they allegedly damaged a vehicle owned by Doris Earnesty of Everson during an argument along Kingview Road on Saturday.
California
DUI charged
State police arrested John David Lavery, 22, no address given, for driving under the influence after a traffic stop at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Wood and Second streets.