Three arrested after police chase Police Blotter

WILKES-BARRE TWP. – A woman and two men who allegedly robbed Kmart on state Route 309 were arrested at 7:47 p.m. Sunday after a police chase through Ashley and the township, Patrolman Jason Mozdziock said.

The three, whose identities were not released, were also driving in a vehicle stolen from Hazleton, Mozdziock said.

Mozdziock said the three robbed the Kmart store on Saturday night and were involved in other robberies in local towns.

Additional information was not immediately available Sunday night.

KINGSTON – A woman faces several charges after police saw her driving a 1999 Dodge Neon that had been stolen in Exeter on Thursday, police said.

Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, the Kingston Narcotics Unit and the Edwardsville Police Department arrested Cara L. Asay, 24, who had been staying at the Red Carpet Inn in Wilkes-Barre, after police saw her drive into the Turkey Hill parking lot at 255 Main St.

Police said they saw that there was significant passenger-side damage to the vehicle and that the inspection sticker was hanging from the windshield.

A records check revealed that the vehicle was stolen.

Police stopped the driver as she attempted to leave the parking lot and found her to be in possession of two packets of heroin and a hypodermic syringe, police said.

Asay was charged with a felony count of receiving stolen property, and one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Passengers in the vehicle were also identified, and charges are pending, police said.

HAZLETON – An undercover drug sale at a Laundromat in West Hazleton borough on Wednesday netted the arrest of a Hazleton man and 2.2 grams of cocaine, city police said.

Police said city detectives Darryl Ledger and Jason Zola, along with agents from the Luzerne County Drug Task Force arranged an undercover cocaine purchase from a Hispanic male with a street name of “Pete,” also known as Ralph Rodriguez.

At about 4 p.m., a confidential informant and an undercover officer pulled into the parking lot at Launder Town – also known as the 15th Street Laundromat – at Broad Street and Washington Avenue, police said.

A few minutes later, “Pete” and another Hispanic male, identified as Fred Gettis, arrived. After talking with the undercover agent, “Pete” made a call on his cell phone.

A short while later, Luis Aviles Hernandez and Yajaira Aviles, also known as Yahaira Aviles, arrived in a maroon mini-van, with Aviles driving, police said.

“Pete” retrieved a packet of suspected cocaine from Aviles Hernandez and handed it to the undercover officer in exchange for $200.

The substance tested positive as 2.2 grams of cocaine, police said.

Aviles Hernandez, 32, of 208 S. Pine St., was charged with possession of and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy in delivery of a controlled substance.

He was arraigned before District Judge William Amesbury, who set bail at $35,000.

Aviles Hernandez remained lodged at Luzerne County Correctional Facility awaiting a preliminary hearing, the date and time of which was unavailable on Sunday.

HAZLETON – A city man died as a result of injuries he received in a car crash on Friday.

Police said Joseph Francis Griesing, of East Walnut Street, was driving a 1996 Ford Ranger XL owned by James Sobolewski, also of East Walnut Street, north on Mill Street at 12:08 a.m. when the vehicle struck a wooden electric utility pole on the northwest corner of Juniper and Mill streets.

Griesing was transported by American Patient Transport System to Hazleton General Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.

Female passengers in the vehicle – Brooke Griesing and Ariana Fernandez, both of Hazleton -- suffered minor injuries and were not treated at the scene.

Passenger Brandon Card, also of Hazleton, was uninjured, police said.

The crash remains under investigation, police said.

HAZLETON – Sharon Griffiths, of Hazleton, was cited with harassment and disorderly conduct, and Patrick McCarthy, also of Hazleton, was cited with harassment after an incident at 3 a.m. Sunday at City Hall, 40 N. Church St.

HAZLETON – City police detained two alleged illegal immigrants in separate traffic stops last Monday.

Police stopped Tarcisio Utrera Sanchez for an alleged traffic violation at 9:50 a.m. near Wyoming and Arbutus streets and discovered fraudulent identification cards and a fraudulent Social Security card.

Police stopped Ovidio Santiso Deleon, 19, of 853 N. Vine St., Hazleton, for an alleged traffic violation at 5:30 p.m., at which time he was identified as an illegal immigrant from Mexico, police said.

The federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and issued detainers for both men.

They are being held at Luzerne County Correctional Facility pending deportation hearings, police said.

HAZLETON – Paul Petrill, 36, of 641 Hayes St., Hazleton, was cited with public drunkenness after an incident at 12:42 a.m. Thursday at 9th and Monges streets, police said.

WILKES-BARRE – City police have reported the following:

• Thomas Atchue, 34, of Plymouth, was arrested on an outstanding warrant Sunday at 102 Crescent Ave.

• Joseph Pilcavage, 38, of Boston Hill, Larksville, will be cited with harassment after Joseph Machonis, of South Main Street, Mountain Top, told police at 11:59 p.m. Friday that Pilcavage threw a shot glass at him at 77 E. Market St.

• Police cited a 14-year-old male with violating the city curfew ordinance at 1:25 a.m. Sunday at Blackman and Hughes streets.

• William Roberts was cited with public drunkenness at 7:05 p.m. Saturday on Oregon Street, police said.

• Colleen Kluchinski was cited with possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found in possession of a crack pipe at 7:24 p.m. Saturday on Oregon Street, police said.

WILKES-BARRE – City police have reported the following:

• Michelle Olex, of 46 Gates St., told police at 8:53 a.m. Sunday that someone illegally entered her residence.

• Amy Swartley, of Academy Street, Wilkes-Barre, reported at 10:55 p.m. Saturday that an unknown female shoved her at Hazle Avenue and High Street.

• Florence Fox, of 237 Wyoming St., told police at 10:57 p.m. Friday that someone entered her residence. Nothing was reported stolen.

• Chris Ravert, of Moyallen Street, Wilkes-Barre, told police at 1:25 a.m. Sunday that three males carrying baseball bats approached him at Spruce Street Park and demanded money and a silver chain from him and fled after he complied with their demands.

The robbers were described as a black male, about 6 feet, 1 inch tall, wearing a black bandana and white t-shirt; a black male about 5 feet, 9 inches tall, wearing a red t-shirt and jean shorts; and a black male about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, wearing a black shirt.

WILKES-BARRE TWP. – A 38-year-old Missouri man received minor injuries after he struck a deer with a vehicle on southbound Interstate 81 at 3:12 p.m. Sunday, state police said.

State police said a Nissan Altima operated by Eric David Allison, of Potosi, Mo., was in the right lane of travel when the accident occurred. A passenger in the crash, Julia Ann Allison, 37, of Potosi, Mo., was not injured.

Allison’s vehicle was towed from the scene.

NESCOPECK – Tamre L. Szewczyk, 46, was arrested on assault charges after she punched John Leo, 51, at an apartment on Fourth Street at 11:15 p.m. Saturday, state police said.

While being transported, Szewczyk kicked out the rear window of the state police vehicle and assaulted the arresting trooper, police said.

State police said Leo suffered a cut to his right hand from a window Szewczyk knocked out during the incident.

Szewczyk fled before state police arrived, and was later located at the Silver Bullet Bar, state police said.

She was taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

PLAINS TWP. – Charles Bennett, 68, of Clarks Summit, appeared at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, recklessly creating a risk to public alarm by carrying a small club-type weapon in his pocket at 2:45 p.m. Friday, state police said.

The weapon was confiscated pending destruction, state police said.

No charges were reported.

BLOOMSBURG – David Werkheiser, 26, of Shavertown, was arrested on theft by deception charges after he purchased goods with bad checks at various businesses between Nanticoke and Bloomsburg between June 1 and 9, sold the goods at reduced prices and used to money to purchase drugs, state police reported Sunday.

Werkheiser was attested by Bloomsburg Town Police when he attempted to pass checks at Bloomsburg Electric on Old Berwick Road, state police said.

The goods purchased with the bad checks totaled about $6,800, state police said.