Crime & Courts

January 5, 2009

Police Blotter

HAZLETON – Hazleton police said Roberto Carlos Marquez, 21, suffered stab wounds to his chest and one stab wound to his left leg just after midnight Sunday along West Broad Street near the Hazleton Shopping Center.

No information was available on Marquez’s condition Sunday night.

Anyone with information on the assault should call police at 459-4940. All calls will be kept confidential, police said.

WILKES-BARRE – A Hazle Avenue apartment building was evacuated Sunday night after a tear gas grenade discovered there exploded, police said.

According to city police, Glenn Herbert of North Main Street said he was doing work in a second-floor apartment when he found a metal object with a pin holding a spoon. Police said Herbert pulled the pin and the tear gas grenade exploded, filling the building with fumes.

Police said the building was evacuated and the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department called to ventilate it.

Police said a neighbor, Damon Toombs, and his 10-year-old son who lived next door, were assisted by the Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross and are staying in temporary housing.

Police said a search of the building for more grenades revealed only the grenade that had already exploded.

JACKSON TWP. – A woman was displaced after a fire damaged the kitchen of her Sutton Road home, fire officials said Sunday night.

According to Jackson Township Fire Chief Dan Manzoni, a fire began around 8:30 p.m. at 1760 Sutton Road in the kitchen, and caused smoke and fire damage throughout the one-story home. Manzoni said the fire was contained to the kitchen area, and cabinets and a stove had to be taken out so the fire didn’t spread into the walls. The kitchen also sustained water damage.

Manzoni said the no one was injured in the blaze, but the woman would have to live elsewhere until repairs are made.

Manzoni said the fire was knocked down within 20 minutes.

HAZLETON – City police reported the following:

• Danny Turano, 26, and Robert Turano, 40, both of Edison, N.J., and Raymon Mendez Jr., 26, of Hazleton, were charged with attempting to elude police and numerous traffic violations after police tried to stop them while they were riding all-terrain vehicles along Arthur Gardner Highway at about 3:14 p.m. Saturday, police said.

While the drivers were fleeing, the ATV operated by Danny Turano hit a snow bank near Poplar Street and Arthur Gardner Highway and flipped over. Turano was uninjured and taken into custody, police said.

Robert Turano was located and taken into custody near Samuels Avenue and West Court. Police later identified the third operator as Mendez.

• Deanna Beckett, 43, of Hazleton, was arrested on evidence of drunken driving after she struck an unattended 2000 Ford F250 pickup, owned by her, while she was driving a 1997 Ford Taurus north on Emerald Court at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday, police said.

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following:

• Crystal Neal, 23, of 78 New Alexander St., Wilkes-Barre, told police on Sunday morning that someone smashed the windshield of her 1996 Nissan while it was parked on the street.

• Randy Deninger, of South Wilkes-Barre Boulevard, told police Sunday morning that someone damaged the windshield and hood of her 2003 Ford while it was parked at 168 S. Wilkes-Barre Boulevard.

• Donna Baldrica, of Park Avenue, told police at 3:28 p.m. Sunday that someone threw a cinderblock through her residence window.

• Kevin Gaughan was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after he was pulled over on South River Street for a traffic violation at 1:36 a.m. Sunday, police said.

• Isaac Acevedo had unspecified charges filed against him after Tasmin Branham told police at 12:31 a.m. Sunday that he violated a protection from abuse order by coming to her Coal Street residence, throwing her to the ground and striking her, police said.

• Wyman Allen, 44, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after he was taken into custody at a laundry at 395 S. Main St. at 7:51 p.m. on a public drunkenness charge and found to be in possession of a crack pipe, police said.

• Mark Spatasora, 20, told police Saturday night that someone stole his Nextar GPS unit from his 2000 GMC while it was parked at 163 Horton St.

• Jeff Nealon, of Andover Street, told police on Saturday night that someone repeatedly called his home at inconvenient times.

• David Pavlick, of Cemetery Road, Ashley, told police Friday morning that someone spray-painted the side of his building at 428 Hazle Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

Police said Yadhira Santana, 29, reported someone broke into her Nissan Pathfinder and stole a Tom Tom GPS unit and her bank card at 32 Carey Ave. on Saturday.

An officer observed Ann Marie Davis, 41, park her Dodge truck left side to a curb at 608 N. Main St. around 3 p.m. Saturday, police said.

A record check showed the registration was suspended for insurance cancellation.

Davis was informed her truck would be towed, at which police alleged she began to scream obscenities. Once the tow truck arrived, police said, Davis continued to scream obscenities and was taken into custody for disorderly conduct.

Jesus Tlatenchi reported someone sprayed black paint on his garage at 15 W. Hollenback St. on Friday night, police said.

Justin Williams was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol after police officers stopped him for a motor vehicle violation on South Main Street just before 1 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Police said they determined Williams was intoxicated while they were interviewing him.

Williams was arrested and taken for a breath alcohol test, according to police. Results showed he was in excess of the legal limit, police said.

Officers made a second DUI arrest just after 1 a.m. Saturday. Michael Marlott was also pulled over for a motor vehicle violation on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard when it was determined he was intoxicated, police said.

Marlott was taken for a breath alcohol test, which showed he was in excess of the legal limit, police said.

Gertrude Piatt, 67, reported someone broke into her 2007 Subaru and stole a cell phone and cash on the 300 block of Park Avenue on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Police said 44-year-old Dilnicio Francisco reported someone stole the Pennsylvania license plate HAD-5182 off of his 1993 Geo while it was parked at 467 S. River St. on Saturday afternoon.

City police are investigating a three-vehicle crash that occurred on George Avenue and Trethaway Street just before 11 a.m. Friday.

Timothy R. Paisley, of Wilkes-Barre, who was driving a 1999 Volkswagen, reported he was traveling west on George Avenue when he momentarily took his eyes of the roadway and struck a 1995 Jeep, police said.

The Jeep subsequently struck the rear of a 1998 Mercury Sable, police said.

Paisley had a small cut on his lip, police said. All of his occupants, including two passengers – Christina J. Tyson and Jeffery Paisley, both of Wilkes-Barre – were checked out by city medics, police said.

SWOYERSVILLE – Henmark Inc. was cited with a violation of the state liquor code for fortified, adulterated and/or contaminated liquor, according to state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, District Office No. 2

The owner of the establishment, Halftime Lounge, 189-191 Simpson St., was found to be in violation on Dec. 2, 2008, the BLCE reported.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews