Law&Order
May 5, 2002 Crime briefs
Dunbar Twp.
Purse stolen
State police said someone broke into a vehicle owned by Julie Ann Eckenroid, 26, of Connellsville and stole a purse owned by Pamela Dayne Eichner, 23, of Connellsville between 3:50 and 4:30 p.m. Wednesday along the Youghiogheny River Bike/Hike Trail.
Saltlick Twp.
No one injured
Neither John R. Christman, 21, of Melcroft nor Freeman R. Miller, 54, of Mill Run was injured in a two-vehicle accident on Indian Head Road at 3:53 p.m. Wednesday, state police said.
Bullskin Twp.
Stolen vehicle burned
A 2000 Ford Mustang owned by Joshua M. Thomas, 22, of Youngwood was found burned along Hoke Road at 8 p.m. Wednesday, state police said.
Menallen Twp.
Puppy shot
State police said a 14-year-old Smock boy allegedly shot a 6-month-old terrier-mix puppy, owned by Glenn Lee, 34, of Smock, with an air pistol while it was chained in a yard in Smock at 6:10 p.m. Wednesday.
Uniontown
Assault alleged
Charlotte Shumar, 27, of Adah told city police that she was assaulted on South Mount Vernon Avenue at 5:22 a.m. Thursday.
Uniontown
Robbery alleged
Donald Lynch Sr., 38, of rear Lenox Street, Uniontown, told city police that someone known to him knocked him to the ground on Morgantown Street and took $45 in cash, his wallet and identification from his pocket at 1:31 a.m. Thursday. Lynch was treated Uniontown Hospital.
Uniontown
Man apprehended
Vincent Weasonforth, 32, of Pershing Court was arrested and released to the Fayette County Prison on a probation violation after he was found on Farragut Street at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, city police said.
Uniontown
Theft reported
Barbara Pukl of West Berkeley Street told city police at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday that someone has stolen flowers, flowerpots and an iron hanger from her porch in the morning hours.
Uniontown
Man cited
Matthew Pahel, 37, of Connellsville was cited for criminal mischief and terroristic threats after he allegedly damaged a wall and threatened a worker at Mental Health Associates on Connellsville Street at 11:11 a.m. Wednesday, city police said.
Uniontown
Police investigate
An employee at Napa Auto Parts on East Main Street told city police that someone tried to enter a van sometime Tuesday night.
Uniontown
Vandalism reported
Someone spray-painted garages at 81, 83 and 85 E. Fayette St., city police said. The vandalism was discovered at 10:41 a.m. Wednesday.
Charges filed
Connellsville police filed charges in the following recent cases:
– Public drunkenness against Gilbert S. Murray, 59, of 225 Water St. after he allegedly was found intoxicated and sleeping in the middle of North Fifth Street.
– Public drunkenness against William Shipley, 25, of 619 Highland Ave. after he allegedly was found intoxicated on North Meadow Lane.
– Cruelty to animals against Frederick Jose Reynolds, 36, of 501 E. Fayette St. after he allegedly shot a dog with a BB gun.
– Public drunkenness, two charges of disorderly conduct and one charge of criminal trespass against Mark Dennis Fowler, 38, of 157 Turner Road, Ohiopyle, stemming from several incidents April 24 and 25.
Connellsville
Man charged
Police filed charges of simple assault, harassment, criminal mischief, burglary and criminal trespass against Michael A. Kuritz, 24, of 939 Keisterville Road, Keisterville, after he allegedly broke into a Prospect Street residence and repeatedly struck the woman who lives there around 3:20 a.m. April 21. Police did not identify the victim.
Kuritz was arraigned before District Justice Ronald Haggerty and was remanded to the Fayette County Prison in lieu of $10,000 straight cash bond.
Connellsville
Two charged
Connellsville police, in conjunction with the Fayette County Drug Task Force, arrested David Joseph Renze, 49, of 411 E. Gibson Ave., Connellsville, and Sheila Rae Lytle, 35, of 1106 Murtha Ave., Latrobe, on various drug charges stemming from items and paraphernalia allegedly found at Renze’s residence during a Jan. 25search.
Renze is charged with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and possession with intent to deliver in a school zone.
Renze was arraigned before District Justice Deberah Kula and released on $5,000 cash bond. Lytle is charged with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Belle Vernon
Report released
Lt. Sheldon A. Epstein, station commander for the Belle Vernon barracks of the state police, has released the public information statistical report for April.
In crime activity, 146 offenses were reported, 145 of which were founded, and 72 were cleared. Officers made 77 criminal arrests and recovered four vehicles, with the value of recovered property, including vehicles, at $102,290.
In patrol activity, police responded to 43 accidents, including 10 hit-and-run accidents, three fatalities and 30 with injuries. Officers issued 385 traffic citations, 10 DUI citations and 287 warnings.
Officers assisted 39 motorists and responded to 395 other incidents, for a total of 623 incidents.
Connellsville Twp.
Man not injured
John Porterfield, 25, of Connellsville was not injured in a one-vehicle accident on a legislative route at 11:50 p.m. Thursday, state police said.
Stewart Twp.
Charges pending
Charges of hit-and-run are pending against a Connellsville man for striking a school bus and then fleeing the scene on a legislative route four miles north of Route 40 at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, state police said. No injuries were reported.
The man was found on Canaan Church Road. The driver of the school bus was Deborah Valentin of Mount Pleasant.
Menallen Twp.
Man injured
Albert Smitley Jr. suffered minor injuries in a one-vehicle accident at the intersection of a legislative route and Baer Road at 5:20 a.m. Thursday, state police said.
North Union Twp.
Man assaulted
State police said a 28-year-old Uniontown man allegedly hit Shawn L. Brown, 31, in the head with a blunt object and cut his left ear at Lemon Wood Acres at 3 a.m. Thursday.
German Twp.
Chair stolen
A wicker rocking chair was taken from Catherine Mihalsky Jeffries’ Crossing Road home between 11 p.m. April 20 and 8:45 a.m. April 21, state police said.
Menallen Twp.
ATV taken
A yellow all-terrain vehicle owned by Scott C. Show of Uniontown was taken from a garage at 433 Duck Hollow Road between 7 p.m. April 20 and 10:30 a.m. April 21, state police said.
Man arrested
Jeffry Harris Jr. of rear Kerr Street was arrested for violating a protection from abuse order after he allegedly went to the Coolspring Street home of Toni Lynn Birchfield, pushed her to the ground and stepped on her face at 11:38 a.m. Thursday, city police said.
He was arraigned and released on bond.
Uniontown
Fraud reported
City police said someone used a credit card owned by Robin Porter of Connellsville to purchase and send a necklace to a Coolspring Street home.
Uniontown
Lawnmowers taken
Christine Truly of Collins Avenue told city police at 8:28 p.m. Thursday that two lawnmowers were taken from her garage.
Uniontown
Assault alleged
City police said four males allegedly assaulted a couple at Super America at 7:58 p.m. Thursday.
The men allegedly pulled the man out of the car and knocked him to the ground and then hit the wife when she exited the vehicle. Additional information was unavailable.
Dawson
Advisory issued
Dawson Police Chief Roger Adams advises residents that unlicensed and non-registered vehicles, along with other junk and debris, cannot be stored on properties.
Anyone failing to comply with the borough ordinance can be fined up to $300.
Menallen Twp.
Teen missing
Lakisha Lanea Barnes, 16, of Buffington has been reported missing from her Fourth Street home, state police said.
Barnes is black, 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 110 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen at 10 p.m. April 29, police said.
Uniontown
Man cited
City police cited Jason Mills, 19, of Bailey Street for driving without a license after a traffic stop on East Craig Street and Derrick Avenue at 5:55 p.m. Friday.
Uniontown
Woman followed
Sharon Porter of Uniontown told city police that someone driving a maroon van and blinking their headlights followed her from South Mount Vernon Avenue to Easy Street at 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Porter told police the van stopped following her when she pulled into the Uniontown Hospital parking lot.
Uniontown
Man cited
City police cited Earnest Higgins, 55, of Smock with harassment after he allegedly threatened, slapped and pushed a tenant of a building he owns along Prospect Street at 9:23 a.m. Saturday.
Uniontown
Citation issued
City police cited Kent Wilson, 23, of Morgantown Road for harassment and criminal mischief after an incident at 271 N. Gallatin Ave. at 10:23 a.m. Saturday.
Uniontown
Man cited
Masontown
Man arrested
Masontown police arrested Bruce Lee Haney, 24, of 55 Fort Mason Village for burglary and related offenses for allegedly breaking into the Marathon gas station Saturday at 1:50 a.m.
Haney was arraigned before District Justice Brenda Cavalcante and lodged in Fayette County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Masontown
Accidents reported
Neither Nellie Bozak, 83, of Masontown nor Randy Johns, 40, of Carmichaels was injured in a two-vehicle accident Saturday at the intersection of Main Street and Church Avenue, Masontown police reported.
Also on Saturday, police reported that an unattended truck owned by Thomas Smith, 33, of Pittsburgh drifted into a parking meter along Main Street.
Masontown
Men cited
Matthew L. Kelly, 18, of Dilliner; Harley D. Smithley, 19, of Rocky River, Ohio; Nicholas Van Statler, 19, of Morgantown, W.Va.; and Joseph Farrier, 18, of Masontown were cited for underage drinking in connection with a party held at a West Church Avenue residence, said Masontown police.