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POLICE REPORTS

These items have been collected from various police departments.

Butler PoliceSunday — An Apple iPhone worth $400 was stolen from a vehicle on Franklin Street. The owner told police she was attending church when the phone and a black wallet containing credits cards were taken from the vehicle between noon and 1:15 p.m.Sunday overnight — A blue jean wallet with two credit cards inside was reportedly stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 500 block of Second Street.12:01 p.m. Saturday — One person was hurt in a four-vehicle chain-reaction accident at North Main Street and WISR Way.The accident happened when a car driven by Patricia Wise, 34, of Butler hit the back of a car driven by 64-year-old Ronald Cowher of West Sunbury, police said. Cowher’s car, in turn, hit the back of a car driven by 25-year-old Travis Godot of Center Township.The police report said Godot’s car was then forced into the back of a sport utility vehicle driven by 53-year-old Earl Mowery III of Penn Township.A passenger in Cowher’s car, Connie Cowher, 63, of West Sunbury, was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. She was wearing a seat belt.Friday — An unidentified tractor-trailer sideswiped a car parked in front of a home in the 300 block of South Monroe Street, and did not stop following the crash.5:40 p.m. Thursday — James M. Simons, 58, of Butler Township was arrested for drunken driving after his pickup truck struck the rear of a parked car in the 300 block of South Monroe Street. Simons drove away after the wreck.The owner of the car, however, saw the crash and immediately chased after the suspect, stopping him on Glenn Avenue near Brown Avenue.Butler Township police assisted since city officers were already busy with other calls. Simons later was taken to the city police station. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.158 percent. A level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated in Pennsylvania.Simons is charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run.6:32 p.m. Dec. 17 — Ronald L. Schaeffer, 36, was arrested after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, 45-year-old Deborah A. Ashcraft, during a domestic dispute at the couple’s Brown Avenue home. Schaeffer is charged with simple assault and public drunkenness.

State Police, Butler6:30 p.m. Saturday — Nathan L. Benko, 26, of Erie was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence on Interstate 79 in Worth Township.Friday — About $2,300 in items were stolen in a burglary at a Route 38 home in Washington Township. The break-in happened between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Police have no suspects.Tuesday — Anthony W. Degenes, 46, of Pittsburgh was arrested on charges he broke into a home on Sand Road in Parker Township.Police said Degenes used a crow bar to pry open a door at the house. He allegedly made off with an all-terrain vehicle worth $4,300.He returned to the same home later that day, police said, seeking to take another ATV; however, the owner’s son was home from school and apparently scared off the suspect.Police said they later obtained a search warrant for Degenes’ camp in Parker Township, where they recovered the stolen ATV as well as property in numerous other suspected burglaries.The suspect, to date, is accused in the Sand Road break-in. Those charges are burglary, trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and driving with a suspended license.He is in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail.

State Police, Mercer10:20 p.m. Friday — An unidentified pickup truck struck the side mirror of another pickup on Old Ash Road just south of Route 208 in Springfield Township, and did not stop after the crash. The suspected hit-and-run vehicle is described as a red, Ford F-250 extended-cab pickup. Jancy Fascetti II, 27, of Grove City was driving the other truck.1:20 p.m. Friday — An unknown shoplifter stole several pairs of shoes from the Nike Kids store at Premium Outlets in Springfield Township. The suspect drove away in a gray Chevrolet Impala.

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