Police Log, 10/11/2023
NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL – The following is a collection of police incidents reported by local law enforcement agencies in our region.
Theft
MAHANOY CITY – A Mahanoy City man is facing theft charges, accused of swiping several items off a porch.
Edwin Astor, 57, of 409 West Market Street, is facing misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking and loitering and prowling at night.
Mahanoy City Police charged Astor Monday, saying he swiped a mirrored disco ball, power cords, a multi-color LED light, and a programmable power switch from someone’s porch on Sept. 5.
Astor was seen doing so on a doorbell camera and was confronted by the homeowner, who requested Astor return the items. He did, except for the switch.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 30 in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s Shenandoah courtroom.
Vehicle Accident
RYAN TOWNSHIP – Two Schuylkill Haven men escaped injury after a single vehicle crash on Interstate 81.
State Police at Frackville said the crash happened around 12:30pm Thursday near mile marker 128.
Troopers said Kaleb Jennings, 25, of Schuylkill Haven was driving south in a 2016 Ram 2500 in the left lane and drove off the left side of the highway and struck a guiderail.
Jennings, troopers said, fell asleep at the wheel.
Both he and his passenger, 25-year-old Trevor Ochs, were not injured and were wearing their seatbelt.
The vehicle had to be towed from the scene.
Vehicle Accident
MAHANOY TOWNSHIP – A Hazleton man escaped injury when he lost control of his vehicle in rainy conditions and crashed on I-81.
The crash happened just before 8am Saturday near mile marker 129.
State Police at Frackville said Kelvin Brea Collado, 26, of Hazleton, was heading south on I-81 in a 2018 Nissan Rogue and lost control on the wet road.
He descended a grass embankment on the right side of the road and struck a tree.
Brea Collado was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured. The vehicle had to be towed from the scene.
Vehicle Accident
BUTLER TOWNSHIP – A pair from Georgia were unharmed after a crash on the Interstate Saturday morning.
State Police at Frackville said the crash happened just after 6am on I-81 near mile marker 120.
Troopers said Gavin Hayes, 20, of Grovetown, Georgia, was headed north in the left lane of the Interstate in a 2018 Ford Focus when he lost control of the car on the wet roadway.
The vehicle travelled across the right lane and struck a concrete barrier.
Both he and his passenger, 19-year-old Mahnoor Zahid, were not injured, though the vehicle had to be towed.
Vehicle Accident
MAHANOY TOWNSHIP – Two from North Carolina were not injured after a crash in the rain on the Interstate Friday afternoon.
The crash happened around 5pm on I-81 near mile marker 130.
State Police at Frackville said Elven Smith, 62, of Apex, North Carolina, was headed north in a 2021 GMC Acadia in the left lane when he lost control on the wet roadway.
The vehicle travelled off the right side of the road and struck a sign and continued on and hit a tree.
Neither he nor his passenger, 36-year-old Justin Walkup, were unharmed and were wearing their seatbelt.
Hit-And-Run
NEW PHILADELPHIA – A bicyclist ran a stop sign, struck a car, and fled the scene here Thursday, State Police at Frackville reported.
The incident happened around 4pm at Lombard and Harris Streets in the borough.
Troopers said a bicycle was heading southeast on Harris while Beverly Viars, 55, of New Philadelphia, was headed northeast on Lombard in a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze.
The bicycle, troopers said, ran the stop sign and struck the sedan before fleeing the scene.
Viars was uninjured and the vehicle sustained minor damage.
Harassment and Drug Possession
EAST NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP – Two women will be facing charges after an incident at Dollar Tree at the Fairlane Village Mall Saturday afternoon.
State Police at Schuylkill Haven said they were called to the dollar store just before 5pm for a harassment report.
Troopers said a 49-year-old Schuylkill Haven woman will be cited for harassment and a 25-year-old Oneida woman was taken into custody for active warrants. She also was in possession of a controlled substance, troopers said.
No charges have been filed in connection with the incident as of Tuesday evening, and neither names have been released.
Vehicle Accident
NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP – A Mount Carmel man was cited and a Pottsville man injured after a crash near Schuylkill Haven earlier this month.
State Police at Schuylkill Haven said the crash happened around 1am on Route 61 at Pottsville Street.
Troopers said Kurt Mencke, 29, of Mount Carmel, was stopped at a red light at that intersection and fell asleep at the wheel, taking his foot off the brake petal and drifting into Route 61.
His 2008 Mazda3 was struck by a 2008 Pontiac G6, driven by Michael McIntyre, 19, of Pottsville.
Mencke was not injured, though McIntyre suffered minor injuries, and both vehicles were towed.
Mencke was cited for the crash.
Retail Theft
EAST NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP – A Shenandoah teen is facing a summary retail theft charge, accused of swiping sunglasses and a vest from Boscov’s.
State Police at Schuylkill Haven said Tuesday they were called to Boscov’s at the Fairlane Village Mall on Sept. 7 for the incident.
Troopers said Hector Eduardo Mesita Sanabia, 19, of Shenandoah, took a $20 pair of sunglasses and a $70 vest from the store and was promptly arrested.
A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 17 before Magisterial District Judge David Plachko.
Motorcycle Theft Thwarted
SHAMOKIN – A patrolling state trooper thwarted the theft of a motorcycle here last month, State Police at Stonington said Sunday.
Troopers said the incident happened at Willow and 6th Street in Shamokin around 1:30am Sept. 19.
A patrolling trooper spotted 36-year-old Kennard Baker, of Shamokin, trying to steal a 2008 Kawasaki motorcycle.
Baker was arrested with the assistance of Shamokin Police and charged with theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 24 before Magisterial District Judge John Gembic.
Liquor Law Violation
SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin bar was cited for a liquor law violation, the State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement announced last week.
The Home Plate, the state said, failed to report a change of manager within 15 days between May 11, 2022 and August 23, 2023.
Liquor Law Violation
PATTERSONVILLE – Dark Run Jerky was cited by the state for liquor law violations, the State Polcie Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement said on Sept. 28.
Dark Run Jerky, 154 Ringtown Boulevard, is accused of failing to maintain sufficient seating, per their license, and failing to or refusing to allow patrons to consume malt or brewed beverages on site.
The state says both are violations of Section 102 of the liquor code.
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