Crime & Courts

May 20, 2009

Police Blotter

WEST HAZLETON – Police said they are searching for Cole C. Schreffler, 17, in connection with a stabbing on West Madison Avenue, near North Broad and Warren streets, Monday night.

Police said Schreffler allegedly stabbed Justin Nodes, 25, of Sugarloaf, at about 6:07 p.m.

Nodes told police, according to a news release, that he was walking on Warren Street and turned the corner onto Madison Avenue where he observed Schreffler and a male juvenile carrying a couch.

Nodes claimed Schreffler dropped the couch and stabbed him in the leg, police said.

Nodes was flown to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.

Police said Schreffler is facing charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct, harassment, public drunkenness and underage drinking.

He is described as a white male, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, approximately 170 pounds and with brown hair.

Anyone with information about Schreffler is asked to contact West Hazleton police at 455-3733.

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following incidents:

• Police said James Cooper, 37, of Hanover Township, is facing a harassment citation after a man claimed he harassed him on Carey Avenue on Monday.

• A man residing on North Pennsylvania Avenue reported on Monday that someone used his personal information to open an account with a utility company.

• A woman was injured in a three-vehicle crash at South Pennsylvania Avenue and Dana Street on Monday.

Police said Maria Chicchetti, of Wilkes-Barre, was southbound on South Pennsylvania Avenue when her vehicle was struck by a vehicle driven by Elizabeth A. Zelinka, of Hanover Township, at about 10:45 a.m.

Chicchetti told officers that she had the green light in her favor, police said. Police said Zelinka claimed she was turning onto South Pennsylvania Avenue and believed she had a green light.

A vehicle driven by Ruth Ann Bieble, of Hanover Township, who was traveling south on South Pennsylvania Avenue, was also involved in the accident, police said.

Police said Chicchetti was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township, for injuries.

• Michael Twombly reported Sunday someone damaged property at a residence on South Grant Street.

• Police said John Woytas, 45, of White Haven, was arrested on evidence of drunken driving after a crash on South Empire Street on Friday.

Police said Woytas was taken for a chemical test to determine his blood alcohol level. No injuries were reported in the crash.

Woytas is facing charges of two counts of drunken driving and a single count of disorderly conduct.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on June 17 in Central Court.

WILKES-BARRE – A man was arrested by police on Sunday for allegedly spitting at two officers and failing to pay a cab fare.

Ronald Bruce Salvage, 51, of South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a prisoner and one count each of resisting arrest, open lewdness, theft and public drunkenness. He remained jailed on Tuesday for lack of $5,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

A cab driver told police he picked up Salvage in Plymouth and pulled into a parking lot on Carey Avenue because Salvage didn’t know where he lived. The driver told Salvage to get out, but Salvage begun urinating out the cab door. Police said that Salvage spat at two officers.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on May 26 in Central Court.

DORRANCE TWP. – State police at Hazleton said a DVD player and two video game systems were stolen from a vehicle on Alberdeen Road sometime Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews