2 men charged
for tire slashings
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Schuylkill Haven police charged two borough men in connection with a tire slashing incident during the early morning hours of May 6 that resulted in $3,072.59 in damage.
Rodney A. McDonald, 22, and John A. Casella, 23, were charged with criminal mischief, loitering and prowling at night and disorderly conduct.
Police said the investigation determined that McDonald and Casella walked around the borough slashing tires on at least 13 vehicles.
Police said they were able to identify the men by viewing video from several camera systems throughout the community.
Officers also received information that McDonald brandished his knife toward a truck driver who was traveling in Schuylkill Haven that night and that additional information is being sought about this crime as well.
At this time, police said they have not been able to contact McDonald and obtained an arrest warrant from the office of Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg.
Anyone who may come in contact with McDonald or anyone who may know his whereabouts is asked to call the Schuylkill County Communications Center or the Schuylkill Haven Police Department at 570-385-9111. Callers can remain anonymous but police said based on the alleged crime of assault with a weapon those seeing McDonald are urged not to approach the man.
City man faces
retail theft charges
FRACKVILLE - Scott Allen Parsons, 24, of 523A Fairview St., Pottsville, faces retail theft charges after attempting to steal more than $50 worth of items from Kmart just before 5:30 p.m. May 21 at the Schuylkill Mall, New Castle Township.
State police at Frackville said Parsons put a bottle of Jovan Sex Appeal aftershave valued at $16.99, a bottle of Miami Playboy cologne valued at $16.49 and a necklace valued at $19.99 in his pockets before being confronted by security while leaving the store.
Police said Parsons put down the aftershave and cologne before running out of the store towards Big Lots. Parsons was identified through his friend and store surveillance.
Charges were filed though Magisterial District Justice David A. Plachko, Port Carbon.
Florida man
steals skid loader
FRACKVILLE - Theodore Graeve III, 43, of Northport, Florida, stole a 2011 Caterpillar Skid Loader from an Alan A. Myers Inc. construction site on Interstate 81 by the northbound onramp at Exit 138 at 10:07 p.m. on May 23, in Kline Township, Schuylkill County.
Graeve then transported the vehicle to another construction site in the Borough of Ashley, Luzerne County, and used it for his own work.
Graeve was found at the construction location in Ashley on Wednesday, taken into custody and transported to state police at Frackville, where he was charged with theft and receiving stolen property. He was sent to the Schuylkill County Prison by the ruling of District Magisterial Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, in lieu of $25,000 in cash.
Jack hammers
taken from site
DELANO - Someone stole five 30-pound Sullair jack hammers and removed fittings from air compressors from the Allan A. Myers Inc. construction company from May 27 to May 28 overnight on Lofty Road in Delano Township, Schuylkill County.
Anyone with information should call the Frackville state police at 570-874-5300.
Police: Teen stole
items from garage
MAHANOY CITY - Mahanoy City police filed charges with the Schuylkill County juvenile authorities against a 17-year-old borough boy in connection with an incident on May 20.
Police said the teen stole a transmission, transmission converter and hand cart from the S&S garage at 201 E Centre St. and then took the items to Dukes Salvage in the borough, where he tried to sell them for scrap.
Police said the juvenile was taken into custody and released to his parents pending future action.
Officers also noted that Dukes Salvage has a long history of cooperating with police in returning items and prosecuting those trying to sell them.
2 facing charges
in bar altercation
MECNAHICSVILLE - Two men were charged with harassment by state police at Schuylkill Haven after an incident about 1:50 a.m. Wednesday at the Mechanicsville Game and Fish Club, 925 First St.
Police said Jeffrey Dunkel, 31, and Richard Hoffa, 24, both of Pottsville, were at the bar of the club and became involved in a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical altercation where punches were thrown.
Non-traffic citations against the two were filed with Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, police said.
Rush Twp. police
charge 6 people
HOMETOWN - Rush Township police reported details of several incidents that occurred recently in their coverage area.
Police said Zachary Tomlin, 22, of McAdoo, is facing charges of DUI-controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana and prohibited offensive weapons after a vehicle stop March 24 on Claremont Avenue. Police said Tomlin was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, where a blood test determined he had marijuana in his system.
Denise Lazar, 63, of Barnesville, is facing six counts of retail theft and receiving stolen property after stealing items from Wal-Mart on six occasions in March and April.
Police said Candy Hemple, 43, of Ashley, is facing charges of DUI and other traffic offenses after a traffic stop April 19 on Claremont Avenue. A subsequent blood test at a local hospital determined the woman had marijuana in her system, police said.
Two incidents on Saturday led to charges against two women.
Police said Valerie Weston, 30, of Freeland, is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found with a needle and empty wax baggies during a traffic stop on Claremont Avenue.
That same day, police said Jennifer Dipietro, 31, of Tamaqua, is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found with glass pipes used to smoke methamphetamine while being taken into custody on a warrant from Schuylkill County Adult Probation.
On Sunday police said Dana McFadden, 55, of Summit Hill, is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found with a needle and empty wax baggies when the vehicle she was a passenger in was stopped.
Wanted man
found in Mahanoy
MAHANOY CITY - A man wanted in New Jersey was taken into custody Thursday evening by Mahanoy City police during a traffic stop.
Police said Eric Scott Creamer, 23, was listed as a fugitive from justice in Luzerne County and also in New Jersey where for burglary, corruption of minors and theft related offenses.
3 arrested near
Hometown
HOMETOWN - Three people were arrested by Rush Township police after three separate incidents in the township.
Police said Andrew T. Harley, 20, whose address was not listed, was stopped on Claremont Avenue on May 20 for a traffic violation and found with a bowl used for illegal drugs in his possession. Police said Harley is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia.
On May 23, police said Timothy S. Okonsky, 19, of Doylestown, is facing charges of possession of a small amount of marijuana after he was found with the drugs during a traffic stop on Claremont Avenue.
Finally, police said Besim Mehmeti, 32, of Lansford, is facing multiple charges for numerous gas drive off thefts at the Turkey Hill Minit Mart store during the month of May.
Charges against all three will be filed with Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, police said.