Police Reports
These items have been collected from various police departments.
8:39 p.m. Tuesday — Dina N. Flint, 26, of Butler is accused of shoplifting about $6 in merchandise from Friedman's supermarket on West Brady Street. Police said Flint, who has one prior theft conviction, is charged with retail theft.4:21 p.m. Tuesday — Dennis J. Ealy Sr., 53, of Butler was arrested on a bench warrant after a traffic stop on North McKean Street. A police report said Ealy's driving record showed he has two prior convictions for suspended driving, one for suspended licensed-DUI related and five for driving without a license.Ealy was placed in Butler County Prison.12:35 p.m. Monday — A pickup truck driven by Andrew G. Laconi, 73, of Butler Township struck the rear of a car on Route 8 south in front of Butler Tire. The crash forced the car, driven by Patti D. Pulver, 53, of Butler, into the back of a sport utility vehicle driven by Tanisha S. Brown, 20, of Center Township.A police report noted that Pulver and Brown both were stopped in traffic when the crash happened.Monday — A 52-year-old Butler man reported that someone during the weekend stole about $490 worth of electrical equipment from his utility truck while it was parked along Third Avenue.The man told police he always locks his truck and believes the unknown thief was able to break the lock due to the cold weather.Monday — An unknown thief stole a handgun from a truck on Edwards Avenue. The owner, a 24-year-old Butler man, told police the pistol was placed under the back seat of the vehicle, and that he did not know if the doors of the vehicle were locked.The gun, valued at $400, was taken sometime during the weekend.3:06 a.m. Feb. 14 — Shala D. Giesler, 27, of Jefferson Township was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence after her car crashed into a utility pole and flashing school zone sign along Center Avenue.Toxicology reports showed Giesler's blood-alcohol level was 0.204 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated under state law.
6:21 p.m. Monday — A 22-year-old Evans City man was caught allegedly huffing from a can of dust remover while in a pickup truck at the Walmart parking lot in Butler Commons. Police said the suspect, Travis C. McCandless, faces a charge of illegal use of solvents and noxious substances.3:58 p.m. Sunday — A car driven by Buffie Deal, 35, of Hilliards rear-ended another vehicle on South Duffy Road at Route 356. Deal told police the accident happened when her foot slipped off the brake while she was stopped at a red light.Police said Deal was cited for driving with a suspended license.2:58 p.m. Friday — A 17-year-old Butler boy, who police did not identify, was cited for driving at an unsafe speed after he struck the back of another vehicle, forcing that vehicle into the back of a third vehicle on Route 68 at Acre Avenue.Police did not identify the other drivers, both 17-year-olds.
Sunday — Unspecified property was stolen from a sport utility vehicle in the 100 block of Winfield Drive. The theft happened between 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday. Police said they have no suspects.Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 724-458-7925.3:22 p.m. Friday — Vehicles driven by Brandon Hollabaugh, 19, of Harrisville and Richard Knight, 30, of Mercer collided at North and Princeton streets. Knight was taken to Grove City Medical Center with unknown injuries. Police said Hollabaugh faces a ticket for careless driving.
Friday — Police filed drunken driving and a long list of other charges against Joseph M. Shively, 48, of Pittsburgh stemming from his arrest March 13 that followed a crash in Oakland Township.Troopers about 11:30 a.m. found Shively unable to get out of his car in a ditch on St. Joe Road off Route 68.When they eventually spoke to him, police said they smelled a “strong odor” of alcohol. The suspect was “belligerent” with troopers, according to court documents, and “continuously yelled obscenities and threatened to fight” police.The officers had to pull Shively out of the vehicle by way of the passenger side window. He struggled with police as they tried to place him in handcuffs, documents said.Police said they saw an empty beer bottle on the passenger side floor and a nearly empty bottle of vodka on the driver side floor.A portable breath test showed Shively's blood-alcohol level was 0.278 percent, or more than triple the state's 0.08 percent legal limit, documents said.He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for a blood test. While at the hospital, he continued to act up and shout vulgarities, police said.Shively is charged with driving under the influence, resisting arrest, three counts of disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, disregarding traffic lanes, driving too fast for conditions, careless driving, not wearing a seat belt and driving with an open container of alcohol.
1:15 p.m. Monday — A shoplifter, an unknown man, stole a Keurig coffee maker from the Walmart on West Main Street Extension in Pine Township.8:03 p.m. Saturday — Two children from upstate New York were hurt when a car struck their small school bus on Interstate 79 in Findley Township.Gavin A. McGaffic, 30, of Harrisville lost control of the car when he tried to illegally pass another vehicle. The car spun into the driver's side of the bus, which slid into the median.Two boys, ages 15 and 16, both from suburban Buffalo, suffered minor injuries.Police said McGaffic was cited for improperly passing another vehicle.Saturday — Ginny L. Deitrick, 33, was arrested after allegedly cutting a man's hand with a knife during a domestic dispute at their home on Patterson School Road in Pine Township, Mercer County. The alleged victim, 38-year-old Matthew S. Withrow, was treated at Grove City Medical Hospital.The injury, according to a police report, required eight stitches to close the wound on Withrow's left pinky finger.Deitrick was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment, and placed in Mercer County Jail on $15,000 bail.9:47 p.m. Saturday — A teenager was hurt when he lost control and crashed on Interstate 79 in Springfield Township. Antony P. Messina-Ryhal, 19, of Fredonia, apparently fell asleep at the wheel, hit an embankment and rolled over several times.The car landed on its roof. Messina-Ryhal, who was wearing a seat belt, was taken to Grove City Medical Center with minor injuries.7:30 a.m. Friday — A sport utility vehicle driven by Walter L. Taylor, 65, of Mercer and a car driven by Martin O. Persch, 55, of Grove City collided on Cranberry Road in Pine Township. Police said Taylor was cited for driving too fast for conditions.11:37 p.m. March 11 — Deborah J. Smith, 44, of Grove City was injured in a suspected drunken driving crash in Jefferson Township, Mercer County.Police said Smith drove off the road, hit a ditch and rolled over on Route 58 just north of Lake Road. A medical helicopter flew Smith, who was not wearing a seat belt, to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Youngstown, Ohio. She suffered moderate injuries.Smith's 2013 Dodge Dart was severely damaged in the wreck. East End volunteer firefighters assisted at the scene.Police arrested Smith for suspicion of driving under the influence.
9:45 p.m. Saturday — Britany N. Hoover, 22, of Rimersburg was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance on Route 28 in O'Hara Township, Allegheny County. A police report said troopers found her with 12 bags of suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia.In addition to DUI, police said Hoover faces drug possession charges.
Tuesday — The state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement reported that the Paul W. Wood Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7840 in Cherry Valley was cited for violating the state liquor law between Nov. 11 and Feb. 3 by failing to have its board-approved manager complete Responsible Alcohol Management Program training.RAMP was designed to train beverage alcohol licensees and servers on responsible service, including detection of false IDs, prevention of underage drinking, prevention of serving visibly intoxicated patrons and developing designated driver programs.An administrative law judge will hear the case.
