Police Reports
These items have been collected from various police departments.
Butler PoliceThursday — Bryan Lee Griffith, 35, of Butler was charged with drugged driving after he suffered an apparent heroin-related overdose behind the wheel of a car last month at West Wayne and Upper Shore streets.Police said emergency crews found Griffith about 2:35 p.m. Jan. 21 unconscious. Paramedics used Narcan to revive him, court documents said.The suspect admitted shooting heroin, police said. Officers found an empty stamp bag of suspected heroin and a syringe in the vehicle. Griffith refused further medical treatment but was later taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for a blood test.A toxicology report confirmed Griffith had heroin in his system, documents said.He is charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license.Wednesday — Michael John-Wallace Scott, 28, who is homeless, was arrested after he allegedly shoplifted merchandise valued at $304.43 at the Pullman Square Kmart store.A search of Scott’s wallet, according to court documents, also turned up six Suboxone strips for which he did not have a prescription.Scott was arraigned on misdemeanor counts of retail theft and possession of a controlled substance. He was placed in Butler County Prison on $10,000 bail following arraignment.2:42 p.m. Sunday — Three women were arrested following a suspected shoplifting incident at the Kmart store at Pullman Square.Charged with conspiracy to commit retail theft, a felony, are Danielle K. Welch, 32, and Sheryl A. Virtue, 55, both of Butler Township; and Jamie L. Meyers, 37, of Clermont, Fla. Virtue also is charged with a felony count of retail theft. Welch and Meyers both are charged with misdemeanor retail theft.Additionally, Welch and Virtue are each charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Welch also is charged with obstructing the administration of law or government function and resisting arrest.Following arraignment, Virtue was placed in Butler County Prison on $1,000 bail and Welch and Meyers were released on their own recognizance.According to court documents, a store security employee spotted Virtue removing tags from merchandise and concealing items inside a bag that was in a shopping cart.Meyers, who had entered the store with Virtue, was also concealing merchandise in the same bag, police said.The two women are accused of going through the checkout without paying for the hidden items. Store security stopped them and took them to the office. Police were called.At some point, Welch appeared and identified herself as Virtue’s daughter, documents said. At the office, police said they saw Virtue twice hand something to Welch.Police confronted Welch, who denied having anything. But an officer removed several items — a small package of hardware materials and a razor blade scraper — that were in the front pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.In arresting Welch, police noted, officers had to use force.
Butler Twp PoliceThursday — Jeannette Lee Fleeger, 39, of Butler was charged with drugged driving stemming from a two-vehicle wreck last month on Whitestown Road near Fairground Hill Road. Police said her car about 11:30 a.m. Jan. 26 struck the other vehicle driven by Lawrence Moculski, 69, of Butler.In addition to driving under the influence of a controlled substance, Fleeger is charged with driving without insurance, driving without valid inspection, failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to comply with license restrictions.8:39 p.m. Wednesday — Surenu E. Frank, 32, of Butler was caught allegedly shoplifting $179 in merchandise at the Butler Commons’ Walmart. He is charged with a felony count of retail theft and a summary count of defiant trespass.6:01 p.m. Sunday — Dina Brownley, 60, of Butler was hurt in a two-vehicle crash at South Duffy and Whitestown roads. Police said Brownley turned in front of a car driven by Devin Schmidt, 23, of Lyndora.Brownley was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with a minor injury. Both vehicles had to be towed. Police cited Brownley for making an improper left turn.
State Police, Butler9 a.m. Thursday — Two students, both boys, escaped from Summit Academy reform school on Herman Road in Summit Township but were quickly caught. The boys, ages 14 and 15, face escape charges in Butler County juvenile court.Feb. 1 — Thomas C. Rafferty Jr., 53, of Portersville was charged with drunken driving in connection with a crash last month in Franklin Township. Police said they found Rafferty‘s overturned sport utility vehicle about 7:45 p.m. Dec. 18 on Route 422 just east of Dick Road.The suspect told police that he was coming from a nearby restaurant and had consumed about eight beers that day.While speaking to troopers, according to court documents, he continually apologized for his actions,” a police affidavit said.A blood test revealed his blood-alcohol level was 0.127 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under state law.In addition to driving under the influence, he was cited for two traffic violations.Feb. 1 — Courtney D. Yoculan, 22, of Erie was charged with having marijuana and other drug contraband following a 2015 traffic stop in Muddy Creek Township. She was a passenger in the car that was stopped on Interstate 79 on May 28, 2015.While searching a gym bag in the car, police found marijuana and two marijuana pipes. Yoculan claimed the items were hers and did not belong to the driver, court documents said.She is charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Court papers did not indicate why it took so long to file the charges.Jan. 29 — Police caught a Blair County man with suspected marijuana after police were called for a large fight at the University Village at Slippery Rock apartment complex in Slippery Rock Township.Troopers searched the area and found the suspect, Mante L. Barnes, 21, of Altoona, nearby on Kiester Road. He was carrying a book bag. In the bag, court documents said, was a large jar containing the illegal weed.Barnes is charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana.Jan. 27 — Police charged Jordan M. McKain, 20, of Butler with drunken driving stemming from a one-vehicle crash last month in Franklin Township.McKain, who admitted that he had been drinking earlier that night, lost control of his pickup truck about 11 p.m. Jan. 22 and struck a ditch in front of a home on Chestnut Ridge Road, according to court documents.A breath test later showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.136 percent. In addition to DUI, he is charged with DUI by a minor, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and failing to report an accident to police.
State Police, KittanningMonday — An unknown burglar made off with two television sets and a tool box from a home on Beltown Road in Pine Township, Armstrong County. The break-in happened between Jan. 9 and Monday. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 724-543-2011.3:30 a.m. Feb. 2— Anastasia M. Schaeffer, 38, of Arnold, Westmoreland County, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance at the Franklin Village Mall in East Franklin Township.Police found the suspect after they were called for a suspicious vehicle at the McDonald’s restaurant drive-through.Feb. 2 — An unknown would-be burglary tried to break into the detached garage at a 68-year-old woman’s home on Bear Road in West Franklin Township. The suspect was unable to get inside and left.The attempted burglary happened between 12:01 and 7 a.m. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 724-543-2011.Jan. 31 — Dean R. Aleprete, 24, of Dayton was arraigned on felony and other charges for allegedly using a Worthington man’s debit card to withdraw several hundred dollars in Sugarcreek Township.Aleprete is charged with a felony count of access device fraud and misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property. He was placed in Armstrong County Jail on $1,500 bail following arraignment.
