POLICE REPORTS
These items have been collected from various police departments.
Monday — An arrest warrant was issued for Mark L. Schaeffer, 38, of Butler, who is charged with stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a store at the Moraine Pointe Plaza where he worked last fall.Schaeffer was employed at Sam's Club in October and November when he allegedly committed a series of thefts, according to a police report. He is accused of stealing items, valued at more than $4,000, from a locked electronics cage.The suspect was identified following an internal audit and a review of store surveillance video.Schaeffer is charged with felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property.Monday — Police charged Cory Malis, 54, of Cabot with a pair of gas drive-offs in November at different Sheetz convenience stores in the township.Malis is accused of failing to pay for $49 worth of fuel he pumped Nov. 11 at the store on Freeport Road and for $55 in gas he pumped Nov. 22 at the New Castle Road store.Police said the suspect was able to activate the pumps both times by asking to use the Sheetz cards of other unsuspecting customers.Malis is charged with two counts each of retail theft and driving with a suspended license.2:18 p.m. Sunday — Eric M. O'Donnell, 28, of Butler was arrested after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend during a domestic dispute at her apartment on Bessemer Avenue in Lyndora. A second unidentified female, who was visiting the apartment, also was injured in the altercationO'Donnell was arraigned on two counts of simple assault and charges of harassment and possession of drug paraphernalia. Following arraignment, he was place in the Butler County Prison on $10,000 bail.8:14 p.m. Saturday — A suspected shoplifter was arrested after police learned he was wanted on at least two warrants. Police said they also found Thomas Odom, 28, of Butler with suspected drugs and related contraband as well as a switchblade knife.Store security at the Butler Commons' Walmart initially stopped Odom after spotting him taking a wallet valued at $12.72. Police later searched Odom and turned up syringes, empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, a marijuana pipe and Suboxone strip, and the knife.Additionally, a check of his record found that he was wanted by state police on an arrest warrant in an unrelated shoplifting case Sept. 20 in Center Township. The Butler County sheriff's Office also had a bench warrant for him.He was placed in the Butler County Prison on the warrants.Later, Odom was arraigned on charges of retail theft, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and possession of a prohibited offensive weapon. Bail in the new case was set at $1,000.8:58 a.m. Saturday — A vehicle driven by Emily Venturella, 26, of Oil City, Venango County, crashed on snow-covered Route 8 south between Comfort Lane and Decatur Drive. Venturella was not hurt but her car had to be towed from the scene.10:04 a.m. Friday — Icy conditions were blamed for an accident that happened when Jessica Woessner, 26, of Butler lost control of her car and wrecked on Route 422 east near the Mercer Road and Route 8 north overpasses.Woessner was not injured. Her car, however, had to be towed.8:11 a.m. Friday — Barbara Breitenbach, 61, of Butler was hurt when the sport utility vehicle she was driving struck a curb and flipped onto its side on ice-covered Route 8 south near Zanotti's. Breitenbach suffered a minor injury.The South Butler Volunteer Fire Department and Butler Ambulance Service assisted at the scene.7:56 a.m. Friday — Heidi Graham, 24, of Butler lost control of her car on ice and crashed on Route 422 east between the Mercer Road and Route 8 north overpasses. Graham was not hurt but her car had to be towed. Police cited icy conditions for the accident.
1:23 p.m. Sunday — A car driven by Walter R. Baseler, 84, and a pickup truck driven by Scott King, 39, both of Grove City, collided at Jackson and Mill streets. Police cited Baseler for making an improper left turn.1:19 p.m. Friday — Vehicles driven by Anna M. Wagner, 23, and Luke Michael, 33, both of Grove City, collided at North Center and Blaine streets. No one was injured but Wagner's vehicle had to be towed from the scene. Police cited her for a stop sign violation.Dec. 3 — An Xbox 360 gaming system and 20 video games were stolen from the second floor lobby area of Memorial Hall on the Grove City College campus. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 724-458-7925.
9:07 a.m. Monday — A tractor-trailer struck a car ahead of it that fishtailed after traveling over a patch of slush on Interstate 79 in Lancaster Township. William C. Chapman, 47, of Knox, Clarion County, pulled his rig off the road and hit an embankment.The driver of the car, Hannah P. Yacknin-Dawson, 19, of Pittsburgh, was cited for driving too fast for conditions.6:55 p.m. Sunday — A car driven by Joelle N. Hepple, 31, of Donora, Washington County, skidded on ice and slammed into a guardrail on I-79 in Worth Township. The car continued sliding across the highway and hit a sign.Police said Hepple faces a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.4:40 p.m. Sunday — A 15-year-old Boyers boy was hurt in a one-vehicle crash on I-79 in Jackson Township.The wreck happened when Ann M. McCandless, 43, of Boyers lost control of her car and traveled onto a grassy median between the highway and the Zelienople exit. Brandon B. McCandless, who was riding in the car, suffered minor injuries.The boy, who was wearing a seat belt, was treated at UPMC Passavant Cranberry with minor injuries. Police said Ann McCandless was cited for driving too fast for conditions.6:55 a.m. Sunday — Christopher J. Taggart, 31, of Slippery Rock lost control of his pickup truck and slid into cement barriers at Hines and Crestview roads in Slippery cited for driving too fast for conditions.The barriers, which sustained minor damage, were pushed into Robert Anderson's yard in the 200 block of Crestview Road.9:49 a.m. Friday — Icy conditions were blamed for a pair of accidents, including a rear-end collision that injured both drivers, moments apart on Route 108 at Christley Lane in Slippery Rock Township.The first wreck happened when a driver, who police did not identify, lost control of a car and went off the road, traveling down an embankment.Chelsey R. Biernesser, 22, of Saxonburg stopped her car when she saw the other vehicle go off the road. In turn, Jonathan F. Fellion, 45, of New Castle hit the brakes but was unable to stop his pickup, which slid into the back of Biernesser's car.The crash pushed Biernesser's vehicle off the road and over the embankment.Fellion and Biernesser, who both were wearing seat belts, suffered minor and moderate injuries, respectively. Fellion was treated at Grove City Medical Center and Biernesser was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital. Both of their vehicles sustained heavy damage.7:50 a.m. Friday — Two people were hurt when their car fishtailed on ice and slid sideways into a utility pole at Route 108 and Christley Lane in Slippery Rock Township.The driver, Ryan A. Yarington, 20, of Slippery Rock, and his passenger, Meredith R. Kulago, 19, of Gillett, Bradford County, were taken to Grove City Medical Center with minor injuries. Both were wearing seat belts.Police cited Yarington for driving too fast for conditions.11 a.m. Thursday — Two out-of-county men were injured when their pickup truck crashed and rolled over on Route 38 just east of Spillway Lane in Oakland Township. Police cited icy conditions for the accident.The driver, Thomas K. Cortherman, 55, of Shippenville, Clarion County, and his passenger, James C. Baily, 61, of Titusville, Crawford County, were taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Both were wearing seat belts.7:39 a.m. Thursday — Ice caked on the road caused Chelsie A. Lynch, 23, of Chicora to lose control of her car and hit a cement septic tank before sliding broadside into a utility pole along Route 68 just west of Silverton Drive in Oakland Township.Lynch was not hurt but her badly damaged car had to be towed.
12:10 p.m. Sunday — Kyra L. Costanzo, 17, of Ford City lost control of her car traveling downhill and crashed into a tree along snow-covered Montgomery Road in East Franklin Township. Police said Costanzo was cited for driving too fast for conditions.11:38 p.m. Saturday — Dillon J. Ford, 22, of Ford City was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence after his car slid off the road and hit an embankment on Route 66 near Fort Run Road in Manor Township.10:55 p.m. Wednesday — A stash of suspected heroin, synthetic marijuana, prescription pills and drug contraband was seized from a home on Lafferty Road in West Franklin Township.Charges are pending against a 28-year-old man linked to the findings. Police did not identify the suspect.
10:24 a.m. Saturday — A pickup truck driven by Faith E. Palmer, 38, of New Castle crashed on snow-covered Route 108 just west of Hunt Road in Scott Township. Police said Palmer was cited for driving too fast for conditions.