Police Beat Oct. 1
Tombstones hit: Drew W. Wright, 25, of Mahaffey, Clearfield County, was charged by state police with failure to stay in his lane after he went off Ten Mile Road near Iams Hill Road, Amwell, and struck tombstones Wednesday, state police said. He told police he swerved to avoid a deer.
Harassment charge: Paul Yurinko, 34, of Amwell, will be charged with harassment by state police for allegedly punching Thomas Coldren in the face during a confrontation Thursday at 328 Hackney Station Road.
Woman charged: Lindsay Althea Salamone, 29, of 15 Maple St., Eighty Four, was charged Wednesday by state police with theft and receiving stolen property, court records show. She was accused by a manager at Debbie’s Delight, 930 Main St., Bentleyville, of stealing $248 from the business owner, Debra Hardy, while working there Sept. 18.
Driving violation: Royce Laird Yannacci, 59, of 135 Lincoln St., Cokeburg, was charged Wednesday by state police as a habitual offender over allegations he was driving again without a license about 12:30 p.m. Aug. 7 in the 1200 block of Wilson Road, court records show.
Fugitive arrested: Donald T. Pilarski, 20, of Buffalo, N.Y., was arrested Thursday night by California police as a fugitive from justice during a traffic stop at the intersection of Second and Liberty streets. Police learned he is wanted as a military deserter. He was arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller and placed in Washington County jail without bond for 30 days, pending extradition.
Tables damaged: An employee of Polish Club, Canton, told state police Wednesday tables were damaged at the ball field at Griffith Street and Edgewood Avenue.
Three charged: Charleroi Regional police Thursday filed receiving stolen property charges against Charleroi residents Vickie Lynn Dezardo, 55, of 828 Crest Ave., and Angelina Victoria Gates, 28, and Brandon A. Dezardo, 33, both of 118 Luella Ave., court records show. They are accused of stealing items, including a vacuum, from a residence in the 800 block of Crest Avenue and leaving them in the yard at 828 Crest Ave., where the items were discovered Sept. 5. The charges were sent via summons from District Judge Larry Hopkins.
Driver faces charges: John R. Riggle, 30, of Smithfield, faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, resisting arrest, fleeing or attempting to elude police and traffic violations after he allegedly tried to flee from state police, who were attempting to stop him for a registration violation. Police said he tried to flee on North Ring Road near West Chestnut Street, North Franklin, but hit a light pole, flipping his vehicle. The charges were filed Friday at the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.
Daughter charged: Leigh B. Charlier, 35, of 225 Greenwood Drive, North Strabane, was charged Monday by township police with theft after she allegedly stole her mother’s credit card Sept. 2 and used it to buy $400 in gift cards at a Giant Eagle. The charge will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Theft of services allegation: Joshua E. Ederly, 32, of Monroeville, was charged by North Strabane police with theft of services for allegedly staying at Hyatt Place, Courtyard by Marriott and Double Tree in July, August and September. He stayed once at each location, telling management the rooms were comped from The Meadows, police said. The total loss to the hotels was $923.14. The charge will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Assault charges: Mario J. Pelligrini, 24, of 220 DiCio St., was charged Friday by North Strabane police with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and simple assault stemming from a Sept. 22 domestic dispute at his home. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
DUI, drug charges: Christina M. Morrison, 40, of 101 Deer Patch Drive, Finleyville, was charged Friday by North Strabane police with driving under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance after police said she was found slumped over the steering wheel of her vehicle in the parking lot at 2620 Washington Road Sept. 5. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Theft charges: Ginikachukwu Dike, 19, of Tracy, Calif., was charged Friday by North Strabane police with theft and theft by deception. A resident of Gala Drive reportedly sent her a designer handbag valued at $4,000 in exchange for a Chanel purse. But when the resident received the package from California, instead of the purse she received textbooks wrapped with dirty cloths, police said. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Voucher stolen: Jacqueline Green of Penn Hills was charged Friday by state police with theft for allegedly stealing a voucher valued at $1,030 from a slot machine at The Meadows Casino on Sept. 8. She reportedly told police that she lost all of the money. The charge will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Identity stolen: Darlene Duran of 511 Campbell Road, Robinson, told McDonald police Thursday her personal information was used to open an account at Dell. She learned of the fraud after she received a television purchased through Dell she did not order, police said.
Road rage alleged: Shawn Alan Nowakowski, 48, of 781 Maxwell Ave., LaBelle, was charged Wednesday by state police with making terroristic threats and simple assault over allegations he pointed a handgun at another motorist on Interstate 70 east near the Kammerer exit about 9:25 a.m. June 24.
Theft, receiving charges: William R. Robl, 35, of 18 Daley Drive, Washington, was arraigned Friday before District Judge Jay Weller on a felony charge of retail theft and receiving stolen property filed by South Strabane police for allegedly stealing children’s clothing from Kohl’s, Strabane Square, on Sept. 21. Weller set bond at $5,000 on Robl, who was in Washington County jail on a probation detainer.
Theft, drug charges: Amanda E. Ruschel, 35, of 672 Old Ridge Road, Avella, was charged Friday by South Strabane police with retail theft and possession of paraphernalia for allegedly stealing items from Walmart, Trinity Point, Sept. 15. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Receiving, drug charges: David Conway, 28, of 124 Cecil-Henderson Road, Canonsburg, was arrested Thursday by Washington police on two counts of receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of paraphernalia. Conway was taken into custody after allegedly trying to sell a camera and video camera that had just been reported stolen by a Peters Township couple to their local police department. Police said they found Conway with stamp bags of heroin, as well as Suboxone and paraphernalia. He was arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller and released from Washington County jail after posting $5,000 bond. He was returned to jail Friday afternoon on a probation detainer.
DUI, drug charges: Max Dugan, 25, of 445 Shirls Ave., Washington, was charged Friday by state police with possession of marijuana, driving under the influence of a controlled substance and traffic violations stemming from a Sept. 2 traffic stop near the intersection of East Chestnut Street and North Avenue, Washington. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.
Threats, assault charges: Antonio Beard, 34, of 240 N. College St., Washington, was charged Friday by Washington police with terroristic threats and simple assault after he allegedly struck a woman who was in a wheelchair and later threatened her during a June incident in a Washington Hospital unit. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.
Endangerment charges: Jamarious Plater, 27, of 962 Addison St., Washington, was charged Friday by Washington police with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. He is accused of ramming his estranged girlfriend’s vehicle with his car Sunday in the 900 block of Addison. She was in the vehicle with her two children, police said. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.
Man arraigned: Charles J. Lowden Jr., 31, of 43 Lowden Lane in West Bethlehem Township, is charged by state police with disseminating child pornography, sexual abuse of children, criminal use of a communication facility and corruption of minors, court records show. Police accuse Lowden of having 800 images of young girls having sex or in various stages of undress on his computer between January 2012 and Sept. 2. Lowden is free on $20,000 unsecured bond set Thursday by District Judge Curtis Thompson.