Mount Pleasant duo charged with alleged vandalism spree in Connellsville
CONNELLSVILLE — A man and woman from Mount Pleasant were charged with alleged crimes arising from a recent wave of vandalism within Connellsville and Dunbar Township.
Charles Boyd Crouse and Illa Lorraine Blair, who were wanted on warrants for various charges, turned themselves into Connellsville police Monday afternoon at Magisterial District Court Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr.’s office.
Charges are pending against two teenage girls, ages 13-years-old and 14-years-old, who were also allegedly involved in the vandalism spree that damaged more than 30 residences and vehicles in early July.
Crouse was a subcontractor hired by the Tribune-Review to deliver newspapers, said Connellsville police Chief James Capitos. He said the routes the quartet used during their alleged vandalism outings were the same routes that Crouse traveled to deliver newspapers including the Connellsville Daily Courier.
Capitos said neither Crouse nor Blair have offered a motive or reason for allegedly committing thousands of dollars worth of property damage.
Capitos said more charges against the quartet are pending as police process paperwork involved from multiple property owners.
“Dozens of criminal complaints are going to be filed,” he said. “So far, the damage appears to be tens of thousands of dollars.”
Capitos credited solid police work and community assistance with making the initial arrest. He said police identified the car and possible suspects when they reviewed video surveillance footage.
“Surveillance cameras were a great help,” he said.
A member of the Fayette County Drug Task Force and K-9 unit along with at least 10 other law enforcement agents were involved in the “saturation sweep” the evening of July 10, Capitos said.
Police took the quartet into custody after they located the vehicle around 4 a.m. July 11 at a traffic stop.
Large, heavy river stones more than a foot wide were discovered in the vehicle when police apprehended the quartet, Capitos said. Formal charges were pending at that time until police gathered complaints from affected property owners.
The current charges arise from more than $2,600 in damage to a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu owned by Donna Earnesty, according to the criminal complaint.
Police said the Earnesty’s car was parked on Edna Street on July 7 when the quartet allegedly scratched and threw rocks at the vehicle.
When the quartet was apprehended, they each admitted to being the responsible for the damage to Earnesty’s vehicle among others throughout the city and surrounding area, police allege. Crouse allegedly made statements that they were going to use the large rocks, which were discovered in their car, to damage more vehicles.
Capitos said Crouse is no longer delivering newspapers.
Crouse, 23, and Blair, 22, were charged with possession of instruments of crime, propulsion of missiles onto roadways, criminal mischief/damage property, disorderly conduct, loitering and corruptions of minors, according to court documents.
Haggerty set their bond at $5,000 each and they remain in Fayette County Prison. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 30.