Crime & Courts

September 17, 2008

Blotter: Cops cite Nescopeck man with harassment

NESCOPECK – Mark Lee Laubach, 39, of Nescopeck, was cited with harassment after Tonya Cheree Stiver, 39, reported at about 3 a.m. Sept. 6 that Laubach, with whom she resides, struck her in the face during an argument at the Silver Bullet Bar, state police in Shickshinny said.

UNION TWP. – Edward Carl Cragle, 41, of Hunlock Creek, reported that someone forcibly entered his Range Road residence sometime between Aug. 18 and 19 and removed two gray lock boxes containing birth certificates, insurance policies, cash and savings bonds, state police in Shickshinny said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper John Blaski at 542-4117.

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following:

A city man faces drug charges after police say two suspected marijuana plants were found growing at a South Franklin Street residence on Thursday.

Officers encountered 46-year-old Marvin Howard while investigating an unrelated matter at 375 S. Franklin St., according to Wilkes-Barre police. Howard was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Someone removed a DVD player, navigation system, XM Radio and a checkbook from a person’s 2005 Hyundai at 116 Regent St. at 8:28 a.m. Thursday, police said.

A complainant reported someone pumped $30 worth of fuel and fled without paying at Turkey Hill, 198 N. Pennsylvania Ave., on Thursday, according to police. The incident is still under investigation.

Diane German, whose age and address were not released, reported someone removed a Nintendo Wii from her 1994 Toyota at 125 N. Sherman St. around noon Friday, police said.

Dorothy Logan, of Plains Twp., reported she stopped at Turkey Hill on North Washington Street to pick up a few items when someone stole her blue bag containing a cell phone, work identification and pay stub from her unlocked vehicle on Friday, police said.

Police said Wayne Cintron reported a female attempted to steal items from Grove Market, 124 Grove St., on Thursday night.

Cintron told police he confronted the female after he observed her trying to place an item in her handbag, police said. He informed her she was no longer allowed in the store and didn’t want any further action taken.

• Timothy Stanitis, of Plymouth, driving a Mercury Sedan, rear-ended a Mazda Sedan driven by Regina Cardell, of Glen Lyon, at 778 Kidder St. at about 12:03 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Cardell’s passengers – Stephen Vital and Roseann Vital, both of Plains Township, were transported to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment.

• Tyron Sartin, 27, and John Bednar, 59, both of Wilkes-Barre, were cited with permitting their dogs to run at large after police responded to complaints of two dogs running loose in a Park Avenue neighborhood at 11:12 a.m. Saturday, police said.

• Justin Steele, 23, was arrested on a public drunkenness charge at 395 S. Main St. on Friday.

• A North Washington Street resident reported at 11:32 a.m. Thursday that someone removed lawn molding from his property.

• A Parrish Street resident reported at 1:27 p.m. Sept. 10 that someone damaged a window of her residence.

• Police received a report at 10:59 a.m. Saturday that someone damaged a vehicle on Chester Street.

• Police received a report at 9:16 a.m. Saturday that someone damaged a front-door window on North Franklin Street.

• Police received a report at 4:58 p.m. Friday that someone removed a Glock 9 mm Model 19 handgun valued at $700 from a Brook Street residence while the owner was overseas on military duty.

• Police received a report at 1:26 p.m. Saturday that someone smashed a vehicle window and removed property from the vehicle while it was parked on South Hancock Street.

• Police received a report at 12:10 p.m. Sunday that an unknown white male removed merchandise valued at about $30 from a South Main Street business without paying for it.

• Luis Feliciano, 23, of Wilkes-Barre, was arrested at about 2:46 p.m. Saturday after police encountered him on Livingston Lane and found he was in possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

• Ellen Cupps, 48, of Wilkes-Barre, was arrested and cited with public drunkenness after an incident on Pine Street at about 2:57 p.m. Saturday, police said.

• Police received a report at 12:14 a.m. Saturday that someone left the Sheetz store at 464 Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard without paying for merchandise. The store will prosecute the suspect privately, police said.

• Michael Hozlock reported at 9:13 p.m. Saturday that a black male with a shaved head, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, wearing a purple sweatshirt shoved him to the ground at 144 Academy St. after Hozlock refused the suspect’s request to hand over money, police said.

• Dennis Shanahan reported at 2:01 a.m. Sunday that a black male with a thin beard, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, followed him and grabbed him at South Pennsylvania Avenue and East Market Street, police said.

• Manuel Mendoza, 31, of California, and David Cruz, 36, of Wilkes-Barre, were cited with public drunkenness after police responded to a reported fight in progress at Pancho Villa on South Main Street at 2:12 a.m. Sunday, police said.

• Shelly Lee Bull, 26, of Edwardsville, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after a traffic stop on Carey Avenue at 3:19 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Police said they noted signs of intoxication as well as damage to Bull’s vehicle that was consistent with a reported hit-and-run crash that had just occurred on the same street from which Bull had just exited, police said.

Police said they also found Bull in possession of a small amount of a controlled substance during a search. Bull was charged with drunk driving, possession of a controlled substance and accidents to unattended property.

• James C. Burrell, 59, of Wilkes-Barre, was arrested and cited with disorderly conduct after police responded to a domestic dispute on High Street at 10:10 a.m. Sunday, police said.

BUTLER TWP. – Township police reported the following:

Two juveniles, ages 13 and 14, were found trespassing at Hazleton Owls Rod and Gun Club on Edgewood Lane around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, township police said. The youths were released to their parents.

Police are investigating stone throwing that occurred in Sand Springs Development near the entrance of Sand Springs Drive, police said.

A witness observed youths throwing rocks from a hill nearby, according to police. Some of the rocks were reported to be a foot in diameter. Police are increasing patrol in that area, especially during after-school hours, police said.

Police said a township resident reported a cell phone had been stolen from the victim’s residence on Roth Road within the past week.

A 22-year-old man who resides on East County Road reported that approximately $100 was stolen from his vehicle while it was parked at his residence sometime Sept. 9 or Sept. 10, police said.

AVOCA – Borough police reported the following:

Justin Lambert, 24, of Archbald, and Vanessa Schack, 38, of Clarks Summit, both face charges for allegedly fleeing from police during an attempted traffic stop early morning on Aug. 30, police said.

Officers observed an SUV driven by a male in an erratic manner on McAlpine Street, police said. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed and its headlights were turned off to avoid being seen.

The SUV was found a short time later on Phoenix Street in Duryea.

Schack was found to be operating the vehicle and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, police said. Officers learned Lambert had been driving the SUV, and after fleeing from police, he pulled over on a side street to switch drivers.

Lambert was charged with DUI, fleeing and eluding police and numerous traffic offenses, police said. Schack was charged with two counts of DUI.

Charges were filed against 39-year-old Brian Beitz of Moosic after police allege he assaulted another man inside a Walnut Street residence on Thursday.

Beitz was charged with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, police said.

Officers were dispatched to the Avoca Police Department, where they observed a male lying in the parking lot bleeding heavily from the head and face, police said. After being assaulted, police said, the male walked to the police station for help.

The assault victim, who identified Beitz as his attacker, was treated and released at Community Medical Center in Scranton, police said.

Crystal Zanca, 45, of Old Forge, was observed operating a vehicle which police said was traveling in an erratic manner, nearly striking numerous parked vehicles in the 500 block of Main Street.

Zanca was arrested on suspicion of DUI, police said. She was later charged with two counts of DUI after blood work showed her alcohol content was over the legal limit, police said..

UNION TWP. – A motorcyclist had to be flown to an area hospital for moderate injuries he sustained in a motorcycle crash on Route 4006 on Sept. 10, state police said.

James M. Hittle, 48, of Hunlock Creek, was traveling north on his 1983 Harley-Davidson when he approached a stop sign and failed to stop, according to state police at Shickshinny. The motorcycle then crashed into a guide rail.

Hittle was taken by Life Flight helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, state police said. No further information was available about his condition.

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