Site last updated: Sunday, April 26, 2026

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

POLICE REPORTS

These items have been collected from various police departments.

Butler Police

2:31 a.m. Saturday — Jonathan S. Stariat, 39, of Phoenix, Ariz., was arrested for drunken driving after he was stopped in a vehicle without head lights or taillights on at East Cunningham and South Monroe streets.

Officers smelled a “strong odor” of alcohol coming from Stariat when they got to his vehicle, a police report said. He failed field sobriety tests and was given a breath test that showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.149 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under state law.

In addition to driving under the influence, police charged Stariat with driving with a suspended license and a lighting violation. He was taken to Butler County Prison to await arraignment on charges.

6:05 a.m. Wednesday — Nikolas M. Pflueger, 24, of Cabot lost control of his sport utility vehicle after dropping his cell phone and veered off East Wayne Street at South McKean Streets, traveling over a sidewalk and crashing into a light pole and utility pole. Both poles, owned by the city, were damaged and the vehicle had to be towed.

A police report noted that “due to the severity of the damage” Pflueger was cited for driving at an unsafe speed.

State Police, Butler

1:15 p.m. Friday — Luke Sopel, 32, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after suffering an apparent heroin overdose at his home in the 200 block of Sunset Drive in Center Township. Police said they found Sopel with three empty stamp bags of suspected heroin and four syringes.

Friday — A 26-year-old woman reported the key fob to her vehicle was taken from the kitchen of her home in Prospect between April 10 and Friday.

10:55 p.m. Thursday — A 17-year-old Valencia boy, who police did not identify, was hurt when the car he was driving struck a deer on Dinnerbell Road in Penn Township. The boy, who was wearing a seat belt, complained of minor pain to his left wrist following the accident.

State Police, Kittanning

3:38 a.m. Saturday — A 49-year-old Butler woman, who police did not identify was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence at South Water and Mulberry streets in Kittanning. The woman’s passenger, 54-year-old Godfrey Ferry III of Butler, was found with suspected marijuana and related contraband.

Police said they charged Ferry with possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

2:16 a.m. Saturday — Michael A. Brandi, 28, of Cabot was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in East Franklin Township.

8:26 p.m. Friday — A pickup truck driven by Christopher C. Reep, 43, of Butler struck a deer on Route 28 north in Harrison Township, Allegheny County.

State Police, Mercer

10:50 p.m. Saturday — A man and woman from Venango County were hurt in a one-car crash in Sandy Lake Township. Travis A. Semrau, 31, of Franklin told police he lost control of the car when the brakes locked on Route 358 just north of Lake Street.

The vehicle went off the road and hit a large culvert before rolling over at least one time and ending on its roof. Semrau and his passenger, Sara B. Snyder, 35, of Polk, suffered minor to moderate injuries. Snyder was treated at Grove City Medical Center.

More in Police Reports

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS