POLICE REPORTS
These items have been collected from various police departments.
Butler PoliceWednesday — Charon Goodwin, 27, no known address, was arrested after police say he left numerous threatening voicemails on a woman’s cell phone. He was in the Butler County Prison on $7,500 bail. The defendant is accused of leaving about 20 messages telling the victim that he “is going to kill her and the other man that she is now seeing.”The victim, who notified authorities Tuesday, played the voicemails for police. Goodwin is charged with terroristic threats and harassment.
Butler Township Police11:40 p.m. Thursday — Leah Rudolchick, 29, of Butler was injured when she lost control of her vehicle on the Route 8 north on-ramp at Route 422, traveling over an embankment and into a culvert. Police said she was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Butler County Sheriff’s OfficeTuesday — Donald E. Gibler, 27, of Butler was charged with submitting a state license to carry firearms application Feb. 8 that included answers about his criminal record that were not truthful and were rejected by the Pennsylvania Instant Check System that is run by the state police. Gibler is charged with unsworn falsification to authorities.
State Police, Butler7:16 p.m. Wednesday — A patch of black ice was blamed for a one-vehicle accident in Hovey Township, Armstrong County. Erica C. Allen, 24, of Parker was not injured after her car slid into a guardrail on North Riverview Road just north of Route 58.2:40 p.m. Tuesday — A pickup truck driven by Emily S. Breitenbach, 21, of Williamsburg, Blair County, struck the back of a car on Route 173 at Beatty Road in Brady Township. She told police her pickup slid into the car after traveling over ice.Neither Breitenbach nor Elena N. Merlino, 21, of Monroeville, Allegheny County, the other driver, were injured, but the truck had to be towed.Police cited Breitenbach for following too closely.Tuesday — Brad R. Harbison, 47, of Renfrew was charged with being more than double the state’s legal limit for alcohol stemming from a traffic stop Feb. 4 in Butler Township.Police said they stopped Harbison around 12:30 a.m. for speeding on Route 8 south. Police said he was clocked going 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. He denied drinking any alcohol, according to court documents, but a trooper noticed an open can of beer on the floor. He was arrested after allegedly failing field sobriety tests.Harbison was taken for a breath test that showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.175 percent. In Pennsylvania, a level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated. He is charged with driving under the influence, disobeying traffic control devices, driving with an open container of alcohol, and careless driving.8 p.m. Monday — David R. Pratti, 64, was arrested after he allegedly hit his wife during a domestic dispute at their home on Hazlett Road in Concord Township. Pratti was arraigned on charges of simple assault and harassment and released on nonmonetary bail.9:20 p.m. Feb. 8 — An unknown driver in a pickup struck a tractor trailer that was parked on the side of Route 173 just north of Weaver Lane in Slippery Rock Township. The truck continued north into a ditch. Police said the driver fled the scene, leaving behind the pickup, a 2017 Ford F-150. Both vehicles had to be towed.Feb. 5 — Christopher P. Giffin, 30, of Evans City was charged with having crack cocaine, other drugs and contraband in connection with a traffic stop near the police barracks in Butler Township.Police said they pulled over Griffin around 10:05 p.m. Dec. 10 on New Castle and Barracks Road for having a burned out license plate light.He subsequently allowed police to search his vehicle, according to court documents, which turned up a plastic baggie containing suspected crack, a baggie of suspected marijuana, a pill bottle with what appeared to be two different medications in it, and a marijuana pipe.Giffin admitted the drugs and other items were his, police said, and that he bought the crack in Butler just before being stopped. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and possession of a small amount of marijuana.Feb. 5 — Police charged William K. Skelley, 37, of Slippery Rock with doing “doughnuts” on Christmas Eve on his brother-in-law’s lawn on Franklin Oaks Drive in Franklin Township.The victim, according to court documents, showed police a video taken on his cell phone of the defendant driving a car “in a counterclockwise motion” on his front lawn. Damage was estimated at more than $800. Skelley is charged with criminal mischief, damage to property with a vehicle, careless driving and reckless driving.Feb. 5 — Andrew D. Haight, 30, of Slippery Rock was charged with having marijuana stemming from a traffic stop in Brady Township. Police said he was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped around 9:25 p.m. Jan. 10 on Route 173. A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly turned up a baggie of suspected marijuana and a marijuana pipe that police say belonged to Haight. He is charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.Feb. 3 — An unknown thief stole a 21-year-old man’s Kia Rio while he was sleeping at his home on South Wayne Street in Parker. No other information was reported.Jan. 28 — A licensed gun dealer was charged in connection with an alleged theft incident last year at his then at-home business in Slippery Rock Township. William P. Midberry, 37, owner of Slippery Rock Outfitters, is accused of taking a customer’s $431 check for a .380-caliber pistol, ammunition, magazine, holster and case lock on March 29, 2018, and failing to deliver the goods.The victim told police that he tried to contact Midberry two weeks after he paid for the items, but to no avail, according to court documents. He said that when he stopped receiving text messages from the defendant, he decided to report the matter to police.Between July 3 and 5, a trooper made several unsuccessful attempts to speak to Midberry. He is charged with a first-degree misdemeanor count of theft by deception.Jan. 28 — Police charged a Lawrence County man with driving under the influence in connection with a two-vehicle wreck in Muddy Creek Township. The defendant, Donald C. Whiting, 44, of New Wilmington, was driving a box truck shortly before 4 p.m. Jan. 14 that collided with the other vehicle. He appeared to be intoxicated, according to court documents, and he was eventually arrested for DUI.Police took him to the barracks, but he allegedly refused to take a breath test.In addition to DUI, he is charged with two license violations, following too closely to another vehicle, careless driving and reckless driving.5:55 p.m. Jan. 17 — One person was taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle wreck in Portersville. The crash occurred when a sport utility vehicle driven by Kierstie A. Mapes, 21, of Lamartine, Clarion County, turned in front of an SUV at Route 19 and Route 488.The other driver, Jacob B. Jones, 19, of New Castle told police that he was not injured, but he was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital to be checked. His vehicle had to be towed.Police cited Mapes for disobeying traffic control devices.Saturday 10:45 a.m. — A traffic stop on Interstate 79 at the exit 87 off ramp turned up a small amount of marijuana.Troopers charged Karl Rettig, 28, with possession. Rettig’s residence was not listed.Friday 1:14 p.m. — Jessica Jordan, 39, of Russellton was injured in a crash on Interstate 79. Jordan told police a gust of wind hit her car and caused her to drift into the passing lane, which was occupied by another vehicle. When she jerked the wheel of her 2005 Nissan Altima, she lost control of the vehicle and overturned. Jordan was taken to Grove City Medical Center. She was cited for driving in the wrong lane.
