Police Log, 2/29/2024
NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL – The following is a collection of police incidents reported by local law enforcement agencies in our region.
Rape
MOREA – State Police at Frackville are investigating a reported rape at the State Correctional Institution – Mahanoy near Morea.
Troopers said it was reported on Feb. 23 at the prison on Grey Line Drive off the Morea Road.
They said that an inmate alleged he was sexually assaulted by another inmate in his cell.
The investigation is ongoing, troopers said.
Vehicle Accident
NEW PHILADELPHIA – A Brockton teen was cited after a single vehicle crash near here last Thursday.
State Police at Frackville said the crash happened around 4:30pm Thursday on Route 209 north of James Street in Blythe Township.
Ethan Kulp, 18 of Brockton, was headed south on Route 209 “at a high rate of speed” in a 1995 Toyota Camry.
He lost control of the sedan in a left-hand corner, left the roadway, and struck a ditch and several small trees.
Kulp was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.
Criminal Mischief
ASHLAND – State Police are looking for someone who bashed the C-post of a 2005 Pontiac Vibe in Ashland at some point Saturday.
It happened at some point between 9am and 5pm in the 300 block of Centre Street.
Anyone with information is asked to call State Police at Frackville at 570-874-5300.
Harassment
BRANDONVILLE – A 73-year-old Brandonville man was cited for punching a 72-year-old woman in the eye Saturday evening.
State Police at Frackville accused Dennis Conti, 73, of striking the woman in the right eye around 7pm Saturday.
He was cited for harassment.
Hit-And-Run
ZION GROVE – State Police are seeking a vehicle that struck someone’s fence and took off in the valley earlier this month.
The crash happened some time Feb. 14 on Ridge Road near Zion Grove Road in Union Township.
State Police at Frackville said an unknown vehicle left the westbound lane of Ridge Road, hit a fence, and fled.
Anyone with information should call State Police at Frackville at 570-874-5300.
Vehicle Accident
KASKA – A tractor trailer ripped a cable wire off a home in this Blythe Township village Friday afternoon.
State Police at Frackville said it happened around 5pm at 212 Pine Street in Kaska.
Troopers said a 2021 International LT was heading south on Pine Street when it ripped the wire down and onto the road.
The truck was not damaged, nor was the residence, and no one was hurt.
The homeowner at 212 Pine Street witnessed the crash.
Information on the driver and any potential citations was not provided.
Vehicle Accident
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – A Shenandoah man was cited after state troopers said he crashed his Jeep on Route 924 east of Ringtown Boulevard, fled the scene, and didn’t report the crash to police for five hours.
Troopers said the crash happened around 1:30am Friday on Route 924 about a quarter mile east of Ringtown Boulevard in Union Township.
A 2002 Jeep Cherokee, driven “too fast for conditions,” lost control, struck a guiderail, and overturned.
The vehicle came to a rest on its off on the right shoulder and was disabled and towed from the scene.
The driver fled the scene.
Troopers did not release the driver’s name or status in a media release, though court documents show four citations tied to the incident, all against Victor Gil, 23, of Shenandoah.
He was cited for speeding, driving without a license, failure to give information, and roadways laned for traffic.
Theft
ALTAMONT – A Girardville man is facing retail theft charges after state troopers say he swiped a basket of rolling papers or cones, used for smoking, from a vape shop in this West Mahanoy Township village.
Dashon High, 18, of Girardville, is charged with misdemeanor retail theft and receiving stolen property.
The incident happened on Feb. 2 around 8:30pm, though charges were filed Feb. 26.
Troopers said High entered a the Cloud 9 Vape and Skill Games shop on Altamont Boulevard wearing a mask and asked how much the rolling papers in a display basket cost.
He then left the store, came back with a different mask, took the basket, and ran, troopers said.
He was interviewed about the incident by troopers on Feb. 23 and admitted to the thefts, telling troopers “I just wanted the cones.”
The basket, in total, was worth $300.
Threats
ASHLAND – A Frackville man is in Schuylkill County Prison, accused of shoving his mother and threatening to kill her.
Troopers said they were called to Centre Street in Ashland around 6pm Feb. 25.
Brian Maiese, 29, of Frackville, they said, shoved his mother and threatened “to decapitate her.”
He voluntarily turned himself in and was committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $10,000 bail. When he turned himself in, he was in possession of drugs, troopers said.
Harassment
SHENANDOAH – A 19-year-old from Shenandoah is facing a harassment charge, accused of striking his 17-year-old girlfriend.
Troopers said the incident happened around 5pm Sunday on North Chestnut Street.
Carlin Abreu Perez, 19, of Shenandoah is accused of striking his girlfriend in the face.
Vehicle Accident
HAZLE TOWNSHIP – A Barnesville man was taken to a Hazleton hospital after a crash on the interstate earlier this month.
State Police at Hazleton said the crash happened on Feb. 16 at 7am on I-81 in Hazle Township.
Timothy Holt, 24, of Barnesville, was headed north on I-81 in a 2010 Toyota Corolla when he lost control of the car and hit a guiderail. The car spun facing south and was hit by a 2019 Hyundai Kona, driven by Brian Griffith, 51, of Mountville.
Griffith’s car was then hit by a truck, driven by Scott Horchner, 50, of Hagerstown, Maryland.
Holt and a passenger in Griffith’s car, Marsha Fabian-Griffith, 48, of Mountville, were taken to a Hazleton hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
DUI
WHITEHALL – A Shenandoah man is facing DUI charges, among other traffic infractions, after a traffic stop in the Lehigh Valley.
State Police at Fogelsville released information Friday on the incident that happened in January.
Troopers said 43-year-old Ricardo Antonio Luna De La Rosa, of Shenandoah, was pulled over on U.S. Route 22 West for numerous traffic violations in a 2014 Kia Sorento.
They said he “exhibited numerous indicators of alcohol impairment” and a field sobriety test was conducted.
He is facing charges for DUI/BAC .16% and greater, speeding by 47mph, careless driving, and other traffic infractions.
Arson/False Identification
ASHLAND – A Gilberton woman is facing arson and false identification charges after police say she first provided her sister’s name instead of hers after setting a fire in the woods behind Willow Park.
Sandra Tomcavage, 39, of Gilberton, was charged Monday for the incident over the summer.
Ashland Police said they spotted a smoke column behind Willow Park around 7:30am July 28.
Two people were seen exiting the woods and suspected of setting the fire. The two — a man and a woman — were identified. The man was taken into custody on a separate warrant.
Dangerous burning charges were filed against the woman as she was identified, though she identified herself as her sister, who told police she lives and works in Dauphin County and was at work at the time of the incident.
Once the information was sorted out, charges were withdrawn against the sister and filed against Tomcavage, along with false report and false identification charges.
A preliminary hearing is set for March 20.
Counterfeit Documents
FRACKVILLE – A Gilberton man is facing charges after police say his inspection sticker had the year drawn on with black marker.
Ronald Halupa, 65, of Gilberton, is facing a misdemeanor charge of counterfeit documents after a traffic stop on Feb. 16.
Frackville Police said in court documents that Halupa failed to stop at a stop sign at the Route 924 South offramp, in view of police.
He was pulled over and officers noticed his inspection sticker had the year drawn on with black marker.
Additionally, police said Halupa began to argue with officers and he told police that his windshield was replaced and that sticker was placed by the windshield company. He provided a copy of the work order and police called the company, who said they don’t put stickers back on windshields.
That, they said, is the customer’s responsibility.
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