Police Log, 7/18/2025

NORTHERN SCHUYLKILL – The following is a collection of police incidents reported by local law enforcement agencies in our region.

Vehicle Accident

MAHANOY PLANE – A Shamokin man was cited after state troopers say he crossed the center line on Main Street in the Mahanoy Plane section of Gilberton and struck a state police car.

The crash happened around 8am June 30 on Main Street near Ridge Street.

According to State Police at Schuylkill Haven, John May, 47, of Shamokin, was headed east on Main Street in a 1995 Chevy. Troopers said he crossed the center line and struck a 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility headed west.

The vehicle was a State Police cruiser, driven by Trooper Ryan Sverchek, 29, of the State Police at Frackville.

Both drivers reported minor injuries and May was cited for the crash.

Aggravated Assault

SHENANDOAH – A Shenandoah man is facing charges after borough police say he nearly stabbed his neighbor in a scuffle and threatened to kill him.

Shawn Davis, 59, of North Jardin Street, was charged on July 10 with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats, among other charges.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Shenandoah Police Patrolman Mindy Parker-Petrus, officers were called to North Jardin Street around 4:30pm for a report of a large group fighting.

There, the victim told police Davis nearly stabbed him with a knife. Davis had stopped by the home and sought to speak with his mother over an incident involving two dogs. The victim said Davis didn’t need to speak with his mom and a scuffle ensued.

Davis yelled at the victim saying “I am going to kill you,” and attempted to stab him. Several bystanders managed to break the fight up and detain Davis.

He was arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison on 10% of $15,000 bail. Thursday, bail was changed to $25,000 unsecured, he was released, and his charges were waived for court.

Flight

WILLIAM PENN – A Shenandoah man is accused of leading township police on a chase while on an ATV.

Jason Oshman, 36, of West Penn Street, was charged July 7 by West Mahanoy Township Police Chief Matthew Williams with misdemeanor fleeing.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Williams, he was on patrol in William Penn around 4pm July 2 when, in the area of St. Paul Street, he saw Oshman riding an ATV on Route 54.

When Williams activated the patrol car’s lights and sirens, he fled into Shenandoah and onto coal lands behind the Columbia firehouse.

Oshman had a suspended license, police said.

A preliminary hearing is set for July 31.

Contraband

MOREA – A Philadelphia woman is accused of trying to bring methamphetamine into the state prison in Mahanoy Township.

Janelle Rose Murray, 28, of Erdrick Street, is facing felony contraband and possession with intent to deliver charges.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Trooper Joey St. Cyrus of the State Police at Frackville, troopers were called to the prison around 1:30pm July 7 after a woman tried to enter the facility with 1.46 grams of methamphetamine in her purse, according to security personnel.

Troopers said the drugs were found when a drug interdiction K-9 searched her vehicle and her person.

She is accused of having two small bags of a white crystalized rock substance on her that she told police she got while partying the night before and that it wasn’t hers.

Murray was arraigned and briefly committed to Schuylkill County Prison on July 7 on 10% of $25,000 bail. She was bailed out the next day by Michael Rinaldi of Philadelphia, court records show.

He has a preliminary hearing set for July 24.

Trespassing

SHENANDOAH – A Shenandoah woman is in Schuylkill County Prison, accused of trespassing in a Bower Street home.

Amber Lynn Yoder, 32, of West Centre Street, was charged July 9 with felony criminal trespass.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Shenandoah Police Patrolman Mark Hysock, officers were on patrol on Bower Street around 3:30am that morning when Hysock saw an open third story window with lights on in the room.

The home, 122 North Bower Street, had recently been purchased by the Schuylkill County Redevelopment Authority and had been secured and boarded up.

As police investigated, they found the back door had been broken into. Hysock entered, called out that he was Shenandoah Police and for anyone inside to make themselves known, Yoder responded “It’s Amber, I’m on the third floor.”

She was found upstairs with lights being powered y several extension cords that ran to a neighboring home.

Yoder told police that “she was not feeling well and could not make the walk across town to her residence,” Hysock wrote, and she acknowledged ignoring indicators that she was trespassing.

She was arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison on 10% of $5,000 bail.

Trepassing

CASS TWP. – A man was cited for trying to retrieve his cat from mine property in Cass Township, state troopers said.

David Plappert, 46, of Pottsville, was cited for simple trespass on July 10.

According to State Police at Frackville, he was on Reading Anthracite property on Valley Road in Cass Township.

Troopers said he “remained on the property… to retrieve his cat” around 4:45pm July 6, leading to the citation.

Hit-and-Run

SHENANDOAH – State troopers are investigating a reported hit-and-run on the Gold Star.

According to State Police at Frackville, the hit-and-run happened around 6:30am July 8 on the Gold Star Highway between town and Turkey Run.

Jacob Landis, 33, of Bloomsburg, was headed south on the Gold Star in a 2020 Subaru Forester when a car tried to pass him. That car hit his front bumper and fender and kept going.

Landis described the striking vehicle as a black SUV/Crossover. He did not catch a make/model or plate number.

Theft

MILNESVILLE – Two people are facing charges in connection with the theft of an ATV and a motorcycle near Hazleton.

According to State Police at Hazleton, Jason Cieniawa, 41, of Huntingdon, and Miranda Derr, 26, of Hazleton, were arrested June 8 on felony burglary, theft, and receiving stolen property charges, among others.

Troopers said they were called to a home on Hillside Drive in Hazle Township around 8am June 7 for a reported theft.

The victim reported that unknown actors had broken into their detached garage and swiped a motorcycle and an ATV.

Those vehicles were seen driving on East Broad Street in the city of Hazleton later.

Troopers located Derr later and interviewed her. Cieniawa was arrested later and both were arraigned and committed to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Derr was arraigned July 14 and bail was set at $30,000. Her preliminary hearing is set for July 24.

Cieniawa’s bail was set at $100,000 on June 11. A preliminary hearing is set for August 7.

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