Crime & Courts

October 6, 2008

Police Blotter

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following:

• Joanne Sorokas, of East Main Street, reported to police Sunday that someone who entered her home or someone she allowed to stay at her home between Sept. 15 and Oct. 5 removed numerous items without permission. Police said the incident is still under investigation.

• A passerby alerted police Sunday afternoon to a broken window at Community Counseling, South Pennsylvania Avenue. When a representative from the organization arrived, he reported to police that several computers were missing.

WEST HAZLETON – State police at Hazleton said Keith Allen German, 34, of West Hazleton, was arrested for driving under the influence after a traffic stop on Stankevitch Street around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

German was northbound on the roadway when he allegedly accelerated at a high rate of speed causing the tires to squeal and smoke, police said. There were approximately 15 feet of tire marks on the roadway as a result.

A traffic stop was initiated by state police Trooper Robert L. Christman, Jr.

German was given field sobriety tests, which he failed, police said. He was taken into custody for DUI and taken to Hazleton General Hospital for a BAC. Charges are pending.

BUTLER TWP. – Township police reported the following:

A 56-year-old victim from Old Airport Road was approached by a female who said she had mail for the victim, police said. The victim then reported the female asked to use a phone, which the victim permitted.

Once inside the house, the victim was distracted and the female ransacked the residence, police said. The female was a passenger in a brown medium size sedan with tinted windows that was driven by another person.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Butler Township police at 788-3230.

Police are investigating two separate reports of theft from vehicles this week within the township, police said.

An employee of Wendy’s restaurant on North Hunter Highway said his vehicle window smashed around 5 p.m. Tuesday, police said. A backpack and boxing gloves were then stolen from the car.

Another incident happened around 4:20 p.m. Saturday at State Game Lands parking lot on Honeyhole Road, police said.

A window in the victim’s vehicle was smashed and a purse was removed.

Police responded to an injury crash at the intersection of Honeyhole Road and North Hunter Highway around 7:30 p.m. Friday, police said.

Heather Lazo, 32, of Mountain Top, was northbound and stopped at a red traffic light when she was struck from behind by a vehicle being driven by Jane Krouse, 39, of Drums, police said. Lazo complained of a minor injury and was seeking her own medical attention.

Lazo’s vehicle sustained moderate front end damage and had to be towed, police said.

WILKES-BARRE – Ahmat Bin Amat, 27, of Wilkes-Barre, was cited with driving under the influence and resisting arrest after allegedly fleeing from police during a DUI checkpoint on Route 309 Saturday.

Police said Amat, who was driving a blue Ford Focus, entered the checkpoint. When asked for his driver’s license, registration and insurance, police said, Amat told them he had none and then fled the scene.

Police said Amat’s vehicle became disabled just a few feet down the road, when Amat got out of the car and ran into a wooded area, where police later took him into custody. Police said Amat failed to comply with several commands to show his hands.

Police said charges were filed through a district judge and Amat was taken to the county prison.

SLOCUM TWP. – A Mountain Top man was injured in a one-vehicle crash in Slocum Township on Sunday.

According to state police at Shickshinny, Teresa Morris, 51, of Mountain Top, was southbound on Grosz Road early Sunday morning in a 1996 Dodge Stratus.

Police said the car swerved off the roadway and went through a drainage ditch before hitting two trees.

Police said Morris’ passenger, David Morris, 53, received minor injures in the crash.

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