Police Reports
These items have been collected from various police departments.
Cranberry Twp. Police4:39 p.m. June 9 — A Pittsburgh man with a long history of retail theft was arrested after allegedly attempting to steal from the Giant Eagle on Route 19.Brian Crowell, 41, allegedly was observed by store security concealing $123 worth of items on his person. He emptied his pockets and tried to leave the store after an announcement was made over the store’s public address system. Crowell has more than 10 previous theft convictions. In 2015 he was sentenced to three years’ probation for an incident in Washington County. He is in Butler County Prison on $15,000 bail and will face one felony charge.7:49 p.m. June 8 — Two women were arrested on retail theft and other charges at the Kohl’s store in Cranberry Commons.Delilah Elias, 44, and Jacqueline Elias, 48, both of Monaca, were apprehended by store security after allegedly attempting to leave the store without paying for $127 in merchandise, including lip balm, shoes and cookware, according to court records.They also had empty shoe boxes, bags and old receipts, which led police to believe that they were planning to make fraudulent returns of the stolen items.Both suspects were released the next day on $2,000 bail.They are both charged with misdemeanor possession of an instrument of crime, misdemeanor receiving stolen property and summary charges for conspiracy and retail theft.
Grove City Police5:11 p.m. Sunday — A boy finds himself in troubled waters for trespassing at the Grove City Memorial Park swimming pool. And, police said, social media is to blame.Police were apparently unaware of the youth’s wrongdoing until they learned of a video posted on Facebook. The video, according to a police report, showed the boy jumping the fence into the pool area after hours. Police used the video to identify the suspect, who they did not identify.The boy was cited for defiant trespass.Police on Tuesday declined further comment on the case and would not say if the boy posted the video on his own Facebook page.
State Police, Butler6:20 p.m. Sunday — A Lawrence County couple was apparently hurt when a pickup truck crashed into the back of their minivan in Muddy Creek Township. Ronald C. Paloka, 56, and Sharron L. Paloka, 49, both of New Castle, suffered possible injuries, a police report said.Ronald Paloka, who was driving the van, was stopped at a stop sign on the Route 422 east exit ramp at Route 19 when the pickup, driven by Daniel H. Watt, 28, of New Castle, rear-ended it. Police said Watt drove away.The report said Watt was cited for following too closely to another vehicle. Both Palokas were wearing seat belts.Friday — Emily N. Sopel, 32, of Center Township was charged with drugged driving stemming from a March 30 wreck near the Blossom Ridge neighborhood in Center Township.Police said they were called to the crash about 4:20 a.m. and found Sopel’s Jeep Liberty in the middle of Mercer Road. The vehicle’s passenger side appeared to have a broken axle and flat tires.The defendant was in the driver’s seat and she seemed impaired, according to court documents. She told a trooper that she struck a mailbox after hearing a loud noise coming from the Jeep.Sopel failed field sobriety tests and was taken for an examination by a police-certified drug recognition expert. Police subsequently took her to Butler Memorial Hospital but she refused to submit to a blood test.She is charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving, reckless driving, disregarding traffic lanes, driving without insurance, failing to carry her driver’s license and failing to carry her vehicle registration.Friday — Police charged Timothy G. Fleeger, 55, of Center Township with stealing money from a home in West Sunbury earlier this month. Fleeger on June 4 allegedly took $200 belonging to Holly Lee Wilson.The suspect, according to court documents, had been staying at Wilson’s home on Main Street that week. Fleeger later told police that he was at the house to retrieve his belongings but denied taking the money.He is charged with theft and receiving stolen property.Friday — Thomas D. Twigg Jr., 36, of Heilwood, Indiana County, was charged with drugged driving in connection with a speed trap last month in Clearfield Township.Police were running radar on Route 422 east about 6 p.m. May 19 when they clocked Twigg’s car going 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, court documents said. A trooper pulled him over just before Clearfield Road.The defendant appeared impaired while speaking to the officer, who noticed a box of Suboxone on the passenger seat, documents said. He admitted taking the prescription narcotic that is commonly used to treat heroin addiction about an hour before the traffic stop.Police took Twigg to Butler Memorial Hospital for a blood test. Toxicology reports showed the presence of marijuana in his system, police said.In addition to driving under the influence of a controlled substance, he is charged with driving with a suspended license, driving without a license, speeding, and careless driving.Friday — Police charged Dustin C. Stover, 21, of Leechburg, Armstrong County, with DUI after he was found shortly before 3 a.m. April 9 sleeping in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck in the parking lot of Ghost Riders on Route 8 in Center Township.Stover told troopers that he was tired and pulled over to sleep. But, according to court documents, he appeared under the influence and the truck smelled of alcohol. Stover admitted he was coming from Slippery Rock and that he had alcohol to drink earlier that night.The defendant, after failing field sobriety tests, was given preliminary breath tests, which indicated he had alcohol system.Stover, however, refused to submit to a breath test at the barracks.He is charged with DUI, disregarding traffic lanes, making an improper turn, careless driving and reckless driving.
State Police, Clarion4:48 p.m. May 26 — Robert A. Ortz, 63, of Cabot was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence on Route 28 in Carriage Road in Redbank Township.
State Police, Kittanning3:18 a.m. Tuesday — Two unknown burglars broke into the Worthington Civic Center on East Main Street in West Franklin Township. A door was damaged in the building but a police report did not indicate if anything was taken. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 724-543-2011.Tuesday — A Kel-Tec handgun and a laptop computer were among the items stolen from an unlocked vehicle on East Ross Street in Worthington. The theft happened between 10 p.m. Monday and 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. Anyone with information is asked to call police.
