Police Beat May 2
Arson suspected: McDonald police said a fire in a small barn containing chicken coops Saturday night at 71 Dinsmore Ave., Burgettstown, was deliberately set. Burgettstown firefighters extinguished the fire.
Vehicle damaged: Mark Koble of 80 Center Ave., Burgettstown, told McDonald police Saturday night his vehicle was damaged.
Assault arrest: Clarence Lancaster, 62, of 54 Temperence Way, California, was arrested Saturday by California police on charges of simple assault and harassment after allegedly assaulting a woman during a domestic dispute at his home. He was arraigned before District Judge Larry Hopkins and placed in Washington County jail on $15,000 bond.
Boyfriend arrested: Gary Coleman Jr., 32, of 310 Hillside Ave., Washington, was arrested Friday night by Canonsburg police after he allegedly assaulted his 25-year-old girlfriend as she drove from Baldwin to Canonsburg. Police were called to a parking lot on Bobby Vinton Boulevard. Coleman was arraigned before District Judge Larry Hopkins on charges of simple assault and harassment and placed in Washington County jail on $15,000 bond.
Trespass charge: Christina L. Louk, 37, of 11 E. McNutt St., Houston, was charged by Canonsburg police with criminal trespass after she went to Shop ‘n Save, West Pike Street, on Sunday after being banned from the store.
Parked vehicle hit: Joyce Kortepeter of Fern Street, Canonsburg, was taken to Canonsburg Hospital after she reportedly crashed into a parked vehicle on Woodcrest Drive Sunday. She told Canonsburg police that she believes she passed out at the wheel.
Money stolen: Darchelle Ethridge of 509 S. Central Ave. told Canonsburg police Sunday that $426 was stolen from her wallet at her home.
Charges filed: Brandi Mae Fluker, 30, of 459 Liberty Ave., Donora, is charged by Charleroi Regional police with criminal mischief and public drunkenness over allegations she broke a large flat-screen television and then argued with a group of people at 119 Luella Ave., court records show. District Judge Larry Hopkins issued the case in a summons Monday.
Drug case: Kyle Grant Lockett, 59, of 20 Clark St., Clarksville, and Tammy L. Yakubec, 32, of 413 Meadowbrook Road in Morgan Township, Greene County, are charged by the drug task force in Washington County with drug possession with intent to deliver, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, court records show. Police accuse them of having unspecified amounts of cocaine and crack when investigators seached his residence about 10:40 p.m. Friday, court records show. Lockett was placed in Washington County jail on $50,000 bond set by District Judge Larry Hopkins. The jail released Yakubec after she posted $50,000 bond.
Theft reported: John McKissock of 306 North St. told McDonald police Saturday that his decorative Pittsburgh Penguins ornament was stolen from his yard.
Man jailed: Paul Austin Kenney, 56, who is homeless, is charged by city police with trespassing, loitering and disorderly conduct over allegations he went inside a vacant house at 408 Chestnut St., where police said they found him hiding in a closet about 11:45 p.m. Thursday. Kenney was placed in Westmoreland County jail on $5,000 bond set by District Judge Michael R. Mahady.
Two face charges: Tracy Lynn Darnley, 43, of 116 E. Lincoln Ave., McDonald, and Michael Shane Cook, 51, of 102 Noblestown Road, Midway, face charges of possession of marijuana and paraphernalia after police were called Thursday night to Cook’s Robinson home.
Drug arrest: Travis William Hickly, 27, of 3576 Marion Ave., Finleyville, is charged by Monongahela police with drug possession with intent to deliver, drug possession and possession of a small amount of marijuana stemming from a traffic stop about 4:30 p.m. Sunday behind Ringgold Middle School off Route 88, court records show. Police accuse Hickly of having a bundle of heroin at the scene of the traffic stop, where a family member reportedly alerted an officer to seven other bundles of the drug in his backpack at home. Hickly was placed in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond set by District Judge Larry Hopkins.
Wallet stolen: Deanne Ritchey of Washington told Washington police Friday that her wallet was stolen from her purse by a woman she did not know but had given a ride.
Attempted break-in: Alyssa Adkins of 69 W. Hallam Ave. told Washington police the windows of her home were open and a screen door damaged in a suspected burglary. The driver’s side window of her vehicle also was broken.
Woman jailed: Amanda Lynn Kempf, 31, whose address is unknown, is charged by city police with failing to register her address as a sex offender after moving from 135 Brookside Ave. sometime before April 4, court records allege. Kempf was placed in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond set Saturday by District Judge Larry Hopkins.
Threats alleged: City police charged Robert Gallo, 31, of 625 W. Chestnut St., by summons from District Judge Robert Redlinger’s office with terroristic threats and simple assault. The charges, filed Monday, stem from an April 15 incident on Broad Street in which police allege Gallo threatened to sic his “visibly aggressive” dog on two other men and released the animal before one of the other men shot it with a legally carried handgun. Gallo also allegedly threatened to shoot one of them. One of the alleged victims told police Gallo also appeared to reach toward a fanny pack-style pouch on his waist that an officer reportedly determined to contain a handgun.
Conspiracy charges: City police charged a woman and her adult son in connection with an alleged conspiracy to steal $1,580 in home furnishings and appliances from the son’s landlord. Victoria Fisher, 59, of 510 Jefferson Ave., and Shawn Ancona, 24, of Roxanna, Ill., were charged with conspiracy Monday by summons from District Judge Robert Redlinger’s office. Fisher also faces a theft charge. Police said Ancona moved with his wife and children to Illinois in February. Fisher allegedly told the landlord several days later the contents of the apartment – which included furniture, appliances and other household items the landlord had bought – had been given away. Police said Fisher told them Ancona “had instructed her to remove the property from the apartment and dispose of it as she saw fit.” Police said Fisher claimed the landlord gave the items to her son, but the landlord denied that assertion.