Police beat Jan. 21
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DUI charge: Alexandra M. Puskarich, 21, of Houston, will be charged by California police with driving under the influence of alcohol stemming from a crash about 1 a.m. Monday on California Road near Blaine Road. Police said she was unable to negotiate a bend and went through a front yard at a residence. Her blood-alcohol content was more than 1 1/2 times the 0.08 percent limit presumed for intoxication, police said.
Underage drinking charge: Michael V. Davis, 20, of Irwin, Westmoreland County, will be charged by California police with underage drinking and public drunkenness after police said he was found over the weekend passed out and lying in the snow at Second and Liberty streets.
Vehicle crashes: Michael Hricak, 87, of Chubbic Road, North Strabane Township, told Canonsburg police early Sunday that his vehicle slid on the snow and ice before going off Chartiers Avenue and up a cinder block wall at 402 Chartiers. He was checked by emergency medical personnel at the scene.
Home burglarized: Megan Malachow of 536 Park Drive told Canonsburg police that a burglar forced open the rear door of her home. Her bedroom was ransacked and a safe pried open. Prescription medication was stolen.
Warrant arrest: Joshua J. Moss, 25, of Washington, was taken into custody on a domestic relations warrant Friday morning after he was found hiding under bunk beds at 406 Valley View Terrace, police said. A constable who had the warrant told Canonsburg police he had information Moss was staying at that residence. Police said it took the resident several minutes to open the door, and she denied that Moss was at the residence before allowing police to search. Moss was placed in Washington County jail.
One injured: Raymond Banda, 42, of Santa Rosa, Texas, told Chartiers police that his pickup truck slid across the road in the 700 block of Country Club Road, went over a hill and into a tree. A passenger, Nickoel Rehonic, 41, of 103 Munnell St., Canonsburg, was slightly injured.
Tablets stolen: Six computer tablets were reported stolen from Sears, Washington Crown Center, North Franklin police. Two were stolen Jan. 10 and four Jan. 14. A white man in his 20s with a medium build, dark hair and wearing a blue coat with a white reflective stripe was seen stealing the tablets.
Card used: Brittany Lynn Cox of Washington told North Franklin police Jan. 14 that her debit card was used to withdraw $60 from an automated teller machine at BP, West Chestnut Street.
Theft charge: Nicole J. Brautigam, 30, of Kittanning, was charged by North Franklin police with theft after she allegedly stole the purse of Syna McCosker, 206 Roosevelt St., Thursday. McCosker told police $280, a food stamp card worth $390 and prescription medication valued at $346 were in the purse. The charge will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.
Prowler reported: North Strabane police were called about 5 a.m. Monday for a report of a prowler in the McClelland Farms area. The prowler was dressed in black and was looking in vehicles and checking doors. He was seen on Village Drive going in the direction of Williams Drive.
Cell phone stolen: An employee of Franco’s Trattoria, 3120 Washington Road, told police she placed her cell phone on the counter near the cash register Saturday evening, and when she returned the phone was missing. She attempted to call the phone but learned it was turned off. When she placed the phone, valued at $500, on the counter, it was on, police said. The iPhone is in a purple case with a glitter screen cover. The theft was reported at 7:40 p.m. Saturday.
Drug charges: Jared R. Livingston will be charged by summons with possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and for driving without a proper inspection on his vehicle, township police said. Livingston, 25, of Creek Road, Boiling Springs, allegedly was found to be in possession of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop at 11:46 a.m. Friday in the 600 block of Venetia Road. Police said they found suspected marijuana in a glass jar in the center console, along with a pipe and a metal grinder containing suspected marijuana.
Drug arrest: William Blake, 21, of Oak Drive, Buena Vista, will be charged by summons with possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in the McDowell Shops parking lot at 6:55 p.m. Sunday, township police said. While an officer was investigating a traffic accident at Crosswinds Drive at Washington Road, police said an unknown person yelled to the officer about an exchange between Blake and another person. Police stopped Blake in the parking lot and said he appeared to be nervous and that there was an odor of marijuana. A search of the vehicle found suspected marijuana scattered on the vehicle floor near the driver’s seat, and a small amount in a bag along with a glass pipe in a sock on the passenger seat, police said.
Plow driver injured: Township employee Kevin Cushey told police he was driving a township plow truck in the 700 block of Sugar Camp Road at 6:15 p.m. Friday when the truck slid on the ice and spun 180 degrees before striking an object, causing damage to the plow and brine tank, township police said. Cushey, no age given, of Railroad Street, Houston, complained of wrist pain, police said.
Two charged: Lawrence M. Smith III, 44, of Pittsburgh, and Cynthia Louise Smith, 42, of Eighty Four, will be charged with harassment by state police after police said an argument turned physical Saturday night at 698 Route 519, Somerset. He is accused of shoving her, while she allegedly slapped him in the face. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Curtis Thompson.
Warrant arrest: Joshua Butts, 28, of Houston, was taken into custody Friday by South Strabane police after he allegedly stole $30 in items from Walmart, Trinity Point. Police learned he was wanted on outstanding warrants in Allegheny County. He was placed in Washington County jail. Police also will cite him for retail theft.
Reckless driving charge: Nicole Klessler, 28, of 307 Castle Road, Washington, will be charged by South Strabane police with reckless driving. A Clarksville woman told police she had to pull her 5-year-old daughter out of the path of Klessler’s vehicle after the woman sped out of the park-and-ride lot on East Beau Street Saturday morning following an argument with another person.
Drug, theft charges: Roxanne M. Cloud, 30, of Oakdale, La., was arrested by South Strabane police Friday after she allegedly stole 37 items valued at $487.50 from Walmart, Trinity Point. Store security said she was in the store for four hours. Police said they also found her with Suboxone. Cloud was arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of retail theft and possession of drugs. She was released from Washington County jail Saturday after posting $5,000 bond.
Theft charge: Brandy Alderson, 32, of 5 Wren Way, South Strabane, was charged Monday by South Strabane police with theft after she allegedly stole $120 from the counter at the BP station, 481 Washington Road, Jan. 9. The victim told police he placed the money on the counter to pay the clerk and walked away. Two minutes later, Alderson is seen on surveillance scooping up the money, police said. The charge will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
One injured: Shayne Alexander Douglass, 22, of 435 Third Ave., New Eagle, injured his knee Friday night when his vehicle flipped over an embankment on Route 837, Union, and came to rest on the railroad tracks, Southwest Regional police said. Douglass told police he was driving when a pickup truck passed him, spraying snow and ice and making it difficult to see. He then hit a patch of ice with his vehicle, causing it to crash. Douglass was taken to a local hospital for treatment.?Driver injured: Margaret Tirpak, 33, of 219 11th St., Donora, was injured Friday night while checking her vehicle after it slid off McChain Road, Union, Southwest Regional police said. Tirpak told police she was assessing the damage when her car was hit by a large, gray truck with a lift. The impact pushed the car into Tirpak. She was taken to Monongahela Valley Hospital for treatment. Anyone with information on the hit-and-run vehicle is asked to call police at 724-929-8484.
Theft arrest: Russell Joki, 50, of 200 Stone Church Road, Union, was charged by Southwest Regional police with theft and receiving stolen property for allegedly stealing I-beams owned by Leonard Roman, 2281 Route 88, Union, last month. The charges were filed at the office of District Judge James Ellis.
Vehicle stolen: Troy Steele of 221 Belmont Ave., Canonsburg, told Washington police Friday that his white, 1983 Ford flatbed truck was stolen from 70 E. Walnut St., The license is ZCY-5170.
Counterfeit bills passed: Several counterfeit $50 bills were reportedly passed Friday at Dairy Queen and Family Dollar, both on East Wylie Avenue, and Dollar General, 155 W. Beau St., Washington police said. A counterfeit $20 bill also was passed at Family Dollar.
Cell phone cards accessed: Four cell phone cards valued at $1,997,88 were stolen Saturday from CVS, 155 W. Beau St., Washington police said. A caller claiming to be from the company’s corporate office called the store to check on the cards. The caller asked for the cards to be rung up and then wanted the activation codes. The store employee later learned it was a scam.
PFA violation: Benjamin Burgess, 30, of 280 Old Hickory Ridge Road, Chartiers Township, was arrested Saturday by Washington police for allegedly violating a protection-from-abuse order obtained by Olivia Waters of 1154 Maple Terrace. He was arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger and placed in Washington County jail on $10,000 bond.
Man enters home: A resident of the 1100 block of Bruce Street told Washington police Saturday that a man entered her home. He left when she started yelling.
Charged with harassment: Gregory Terrell, 22, of 300 Third St., Washington, will be charged with harassment for allegedly kicking in the door at the home of Stephanie Brown, 305 Donnan Ave., and hitting her. He also allegedly threatened her, Washington police said.
Five face charges: State police charged five people with harassment stemming from an incident Sunday night at 603 Jefferson Ave., West Brownsville. Charged were Edward Joseph Passamonte, 36, of Kirby, Wyo.; John Justin Ketterer, 35, of Mona, Utah; Darlene Nakutis, 41, of Clarksville; Patrick James Dean, 43, of West Brownsville, and Ashley Renee Bane, 24, of Adah. Passamonte and Ketterer are accused of punching Dean. Nakutis and Bane are accused of hitting Michelle J. Brumley, 41, of West Brownsville and Ashley L. Holman, 33, of Brownsville. Dean is accused of slapping Bane. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Joshua Kanalis.