Crime briefs
June 9, 2002 Lower Tyrone Twp.
Items taken
State police said someone broke a window on a car driven by a 17-year-old girl from Jefferson Hills and stole items from inside Wednesday in Blue Hole in the Chaintown area.
Perryopolis
Forgery probed
State police are investigating how a Perryopolis girl came into possession of a counterfeit $20 bill Thursday night. Anybody with information should call police at 724-929-6262.
Washington
Report released
In May, state police in Washington responded to 830 offenses – of which 818 were founded and 516 were cleared, and made 538 arrests, Capt. Roger N. Waters reported.
Police investigated 11 arsons and recovered 19 vehicles with a value of $79,169. Patrol activity included 554 accidents, 71 hit-and-runs, three fatalities and 202 injuries. Troopers issued 3,635 citations, 2,406 warnings, made 121 driving under the influence arrests, assisted 403 motorists, responded to 3,279 other incidents and responded to a total of 5,066 incidents.
North Union Twp.
Woman cited
State police cited Amy Lynn Rigger, 21, of Oliver with disorderly conduct Thursday afternoon for allegedly throwing merchandise at Donna Jane Teriester, 44, of Uniontown and using obscenities in the BP gas station on Gun Club Road.
South Union Twp.
Hit-and-run reported
An unknown man, described as 40 to 50 years old with glasses and sandy-colored hair who was driving a red truck, backed into another vehicle at First National Bank on Daniel Drive Thursday afternoon, state police said.
Uniontown
Vehicles collide
City police said a car driven by Carla Trautman, 43, of New Geneva and a Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh-Fayette County bus driven by Elmer J. Mosako, 23, of Smithfield collided at 8:45 a.m. Friday on South Mount Vernon Avenue at Easy Street. The one passenger in the bus suffered two small cuts on her arm and refused treatment. Neither driver was injured.
Uniontown
Windows broken
Windows on houses at 84 Lincoln St. and 28 Millview St. were broken Thursday night, city police said.
Uniontown
Purse sought
City police said Ferne E. Petrucci reported that her black vinyl purse – containing cash, credit cards, driver’s license, Medicare card, Social Security card and house keys – was lost or stolen Thursday at Aldi’s Market.
Uniontown
Son missing
City police said Vesely A. Prinkey of 68 Bailey Ave. reported Thursday evening that her son, Anthony Prinkey, has been missing since June 1. Anthony is white, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 260 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing blue jeans, a white shirt, black tennis shoes and “Kiss” ball cap when last seen.
Dunbar Twp.
Man injured
State police said Clint Richter, 18, of Connellsville was treated for a minor injury at Highlands Hospital after a two-vehicle accident at 12:40 p.m. Friday at the intersection of a legislative route and Brookvale Street.
Police said the other driver was Walter Patterson, 80, of Connellsville.
Luzerne, Redstone Twps.
Two charged
State police charged Harvey Thomas Knox III, 20, of 113 Oakhill Road, Adah, with one count of altering or illegally obtaining property and three counts of receiving stolen property, and Douglas John Horwat, 20, of 100 Academy Road, Merrittstown, with a count of insurance fraud Friday.
Police said two Honda CRX cars, which had been “chopped up” by Knox, were confiscated from the garage where he had been working. Other items seized from the garage include an airbag from a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck and a license plate from a Honda CRX, police said. One of the confiscated vehicles was reported stolen to the Pittsburgh Police Department by Horwat, police said.
Republic
Phone scam
State police said officers were alerted to a possible phone scam in which people are being told that they have won the Publisher’s Clearing House runner-up prizes. Police said that the winners are then asked to send cash via Western Union to Vancouver, British Columbia, to cover shipping and insurance costs.
South Union Twp.
VCR stolen
Jennifer C. Spedden, 26, of Uniontown told state police that two windows in her apartment in Bierer Wood Acres were damaged and an Orion videocassette recorder was removed between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. Thursday.
Dunbar Twp.
Stroller found
State police said a baby stroller was found along Route 119 near Bells Lane at 1:12 p.m. Thursday. The owner can identify and claim the stroller at the Uniontown barracks.
Dunbar Twp.
Criminal mischief reported
State police said someone pushed a car owned by Brian Keith Martin of Dunbar into the Box 38, Dunbar R.D. 1, residence of Sherwood Wayne Hughes, causing minor damage to the car and home. Police said this happened sometime between 1:45 and 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Bullskin Twp.
Arrest warrant obtained
State police obtained a warrant from District Justice Robert Breakiron for the arrest of John Jerry Jackson of Connellsville, alleging Jackson made terroristic threats and harassing calls to Janice Bynum of Connellsville June 2 between 4 and 10 a.m. at 505 Sherwood Circle in Bullskin Township.
In another report, state police filed a criminal mischief citation at Breakiron’s office against Jackson for allegedly damaging a window at 505 Sherwood Circle sometime between 10 a.m. June 3 and 8 a.m. June 4. Police listed the victim as Woodland Hills Town Homes, 600 Sherwood Circle, Connellsville.
Hempfield Twp.
Theft reported
Richard Benevich Jr., 22, of South Connellsville was charged by state police with theft, conspiracy, possessing instruments of crime and agricultural vandalism in connection with an incident Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. at a Whigham Road, Hempfield Township, location. Police alleged Benevich dug up plants belonging to Timothy Thomas, 23, of Ruffsdale. Benevich was arraigned on the charges before District Justice Mark Mansour and released on his own recognizance (ROR bail).
Greensburg
False reports
State police filed two counts of the charge of false reports to law enforcement authorities against William Anthony Villella, 45, an inmate at Westmoreland County Jail, at the office of District Justice Mark Mansour. Villella allegedly told state police and the office of the attorney general that Percy Davis of Westmoreland County Jail contacted him in an effort to arrange for the contract murder of deputy attorney general Donna McLleland. However, police said an investigation by the Westmoreland County district attorney’s office and jail personnel and the office of the attorney general revealed Villella’s statements were fabricated in an effort to be released by jail.
Uniontown
Woman assaulted
Kimberly Deeds of Uniontown told city police that two men known to her beat her with a belt on Gallatin and Lenox streets at 7:48 p.m. Friday. Police said they observed welts on Deeds’ arms.
Uniontown
Man beat
Wayne Hoak of Uniontown sustained cuts to his face, head, arms and legs after three juveniles allegedly beat him with a piece of wood and kicked him at the Gallatin and Lenox streets at 7:48 p.m. Friday. Police said charges will be filed against the Uniontown juveniles.
Uniontown
Bike stolen
Lisa Ross of Penn Street told city police that someone stole a pink and purple Quasar Raptor 12-speed mountain bike from her yard at 7:03 p.m. Friday.
Uniontown
PlayStation stolen
William Slater of Madison Avenue said someone stole a Sony PlayStation from his home at 3:23 p.m. Police said the person may have gained entry through an open window. Nothing else was stolen.
Uniontown
Man cited
City police cited James Kuchinsk, no age given, of Coolspring Street for public drunkenness after they found him passed out on Church and Iowa streets at 6:01 a.m. Saturday.