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Police reports

These items have been collected from various police departments.

Thursday — Jeremy E. Oesterling, 38, of Butler was charged with three traffic violations stemming from a hit-and-run crash about 12:30 a.m. Jan. 9 at the Old Plank Estates parking lot.Police said Oesterling backed into a vehicle owned by a Westmoreland County man and did not stop. He was cited for hit-and-run, driving with a suspended license and driving without a license.<h3>State Police, Butler</h3>3:31 p.m. Saturday — No one was injured when a tire came off a pickup truck and struck the back side of a sport utility vehicle parked on Route 68 just west of Linwood Drive in Summit Township. Police did not identify the driver.The mishap, according to a police report, occurred when lug nuts, not properly secured, became dislodged from the front, driver's side tire. The tire hit the SUV that was parked outside the owner's home.7:52 p.m. Friday — Earl W. Burrows Jr., 59, of Eau Claire was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence after his pickup hit an ice patch and rolled onto the driver's side before hitting a stone wall along Route 268 in Hovey Township, Armstrong County, just over the Butler County line. Burrows was not hurt but his truck had to be towed. Parker police, the Parker Volunteer Fire Department and Emlenton Ambulance assisted at the scene.Jan. 10 — Police filed felony theft charges against Nikki L. Fajohn, 22, and Robert M. Whitlatch, 21, both of Marion Township in connection with a stolen gun case last month.The couple is linked to the theft of a pair of long guns, owned by Fajohn's grandfather, John Burk, which he reported stolen in December from his home in the 2300 block of West Sunbury Road, where both defendants also live. The missing guns included a Remington rife and bolt-action shotgun valued at a combined $700.During their investigation, police learned that both defendants had “drug addiction problems,” according to court documents. They also discovered that Whitlatch sold the victim's rifle at the National Armory Gun Shop in Harrisville.Additionally, he is accused of trying to sell Burk's shotgun.Police on Dec. 22 spoke to Fajohn, who admitted that she stole the guns, documents said, and gave them to Whitlatch to sell.Fajohn is charged with two felony counts of theft. Whitlatch is charged with one felony count each of theft and receiving stolen property.Jan. 10 — Matthew J. Mahlmeister, 32, of Buffalo Township was charged with drunken driving stemming from a one-vehicle crash in Summit Township. Police said he lost control of his pickup truck about 3:50 p.m. Dec. 24 and struck a utility pole guy-wire and embankment on Bonniebrook Road.The suspect, who reeked of alcohol, told police that he had blacked out before the wreck, according to court documents. He admitted that he had consumed four shots of liquor about an hour earlier. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.171 percent, or more than twice the state's 0.08 percent legal limit.Mahlmeister is charged with driving under the influence, failing to keep right, disregarding traffic lanes and driving at an unsafe speed.Jan. 10 — Police charged Brian P. Montag, 47, of Chicora with DUI in connection with an arrest in October when he drove through a roadblock in Oakland Township. Oneida Valley volunteer firefighters had closed a portion of the road to clear fallen trees about 1:45 a.m. when the defendant did not stop, court documents said. A fireman who stopped Montag's pickup smelled alcohol on the suspect's breath.He was arrested after failing field sobriety tests. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.158 percent, documents said.In addition to DUI, Montag is charged with improperly driving in an emergency response area and careless driving.3:04 a.m. Jan. 1 — Two women were arrested after they allegedly assaulted one another during a domestic dispute at their home on Jamisonville Road in Center Township.Ida K. Smith, 78, and Kimberly S. Smith, 56, were both arraigned on charges of simple assault and harassment, and later released on their own recognizance.<h3>State Police, Mercer</h3>4:38 p.m. Monday — A Mercer man lost control of his sport utility vehicle and crashed into a utility pole along Route 258 just west of Mercer Road in Liberty Township, Mercer County. Neither the driver, Braden J. Bice-Moore, 30, who was wearing a seat belt, nor a 3-year-old old girl riding in a child safety seat in the vehicle, was hurt, but the SUV had to be towed.Police cited Bice-Moore for driving with a suspended license.Monday — Police are seeking help from the public in hopes of finding a man who left behind a large quantity of marijuana last fall at his hotel room in Springfield Township.Authorities have been seeking the suspect, Patrick James Rodgers, 26, of New Castle, since Oct. 25 when housekeeping staff turned up a “significant amount” of marijuana in a room he was renting at Monroe Heights Hotel on Leesburg Grove City Road, according to a police report.Police said Rodgers is also wanted in Butler and Lawrence counties for separate incidents. Anyone with information is asked to call the Mercer station at 724-662-6162.Monday — Police reported that they are investigating a telephone scam from last month in which a 77-year-old Pine Township, Mercer County man was conned out of $250. The victim was called Dec. 5 and scammed into paying for fraudulent online service.10:20 a.m. Wednesday — Shawn M. Garland, 36, of Grove City was arrested after he allegedly violated a 39-year-old woman's protection from abuse order when he showed up and caused a disturbance at her workplace.Garland is accused of throwing a bag full of items against a wall of the store while the victim and a customer were inside. He later was arraigned on charges of stalking and disorderly conduct, and placed in the Mercer County Jail on $5,000 bail.

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