Police release
crash information
TAMAQUA - A New Ringgold woman remained in critical condition Friday following a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning on Route 309 in West Penn Township.
Township police Chief Brian Johnson said Janet Paisley Smoldon, 42, of New Ringgold, was flown from the scene of the 6:55 a.m. crash to St. Luke's University Hospital, Bethlehem, where she was admitted in critical condition.
Johnson said her condition was unchanged Friday afternoon.
According to Johnson, the crash occurred as Smoldon was traveling north on Route 309 in the vicinity of the St. Francis Animal Hospital as Jeffrey James Spare, 36, of Hazle Township, was driving south. Police said Spare's car crossed the center line, traveled into the northbound lane and struck Smoldon's vehicle head-on, police said.
Smoldon had to be freed from the wreckage by emergency responders, police said.
Police said Spare was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest with moderate injuries.
Johnson said he expects charges to be filed at the completion of the investigation and noted that Spare was driving with a license that is suspended for DUI-related reasons.
Assisting West Penn Township officials at the scene were emergency responders from Tamaqua, Penn-Mahoning Ambulance and Lehighton ambulance.
Police investigate
unidentified body
UNION - State police at Jonestown are investigating an unidentified body that was found by a hunter at 10:35 a.m. Thursday near the Appalachian Trail in Union Township, Lebanon County.
Police said the body, which was a white male between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 9 inches, was badly decomposed and cannot be identified.
He was found inside a green camping tent, police said.
The tent, hiking shoes and some other items may have been purchased at Bass Pro Shop, police said.
Police also found two orange T-shirts with black lettering, one that said "East Pennsboro Soccer" on the front and had a number one and "JU-YA" written on the back, while the other had several three or four digit numbers on it along with a crescent moon and the words "Swinging Thru the Night."
The body was located a quater-mile mile northwest of the Appalachian Trail and a half-mile southwest of the intersection of Route 72 and Route 443 in Union Township.
Man charged
in McAdoo
McADOO - A 30-year-old McAdoo man was charged by borough police with terroristic threats, obstructing the administration of law, resisting arrest, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways and other public passages after an incident at the McAdoo police station at 3:10 a.m. Oct. 6.
Police said Matthew Storaska, 34 N. Hancock St., will have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua.
Police said Storaska approached an officer who was in his patrol vehicle in a bank parking lot and was later found in the police station parking lot looking in one of the department's cruisers.
When asked what he was doing, police said Storaska, who was intoxicated, began to yell obscenities and resisted when being handcuffed. Police said Storaska also threatened the officer, saying, "I am going to beat your face," as well as calling the officer profane names.
Cumbola man
faces charges
SAINT CLAIR - A 24-year-old Cumbola man is facing several charges after a pursuit by state police at Schuylkill Haven that began in Saint Clair about 1:20 a.m. Wednesday.
Police said they saw Kyle R. Marx driving a 1997 Saturn SC1 and fail to stop for a stop sign at Second and East Lawton streets, and they tried to pull him over.
Marx, however, refused to stop and fled onto South Eagle Hill Road in Blythe Township, where he lost control of the vehicle.
Marx appeared to be intoxicated and was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, where a blood alcohol test was administered. Police said charges of DUI and other offenses are pending at the office of Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon.
Woman accused
of retail theft
A 21-year-old Mahanoy City woman was charged with retail theft by state police at Schuylkill Haven after an incident at Boscov's department store in Norwegian Township about 5 p.m. Oct. 9.
Police said Brittany Zelinsky was seen by security placing numerous items of clothing, jewelry and cologne and perfume on her person and leaving the store without paying.
Zelinsky will have to answer to the charge against her in district court, police said.
Fugitive nabbed
on bike patrol
TAMAQUA - A borough police officer on bicycle patrol about 12:30 p.m. Sunday conducted a traffic stop that resulted in a fugitive being taken into custody.
Police said Patrolman Joseph Krebs stopped a vehicle on West Broad Street for an expired inspection sticker when the driver, Marc J. Tita, 31, of 108 Hunter St., Tamaqua, took off on foot. Tita was apprehended on Rowe Street and found to be a fugitive from Lehigh County Probation and the City of Allentown.
Police said Tita was driving without a license and will be cited for that offense along with receiving other citations, Krebs said.
A passenger in the vehicle, Nathan Startzel, 18, of 120 Hunter St., Tamaqua, will be cited because he knew of the violations being committed by Tita, police said.
Trailer, items
taken from site
FRACKVILLE - State police at Frackville are investigating the theft of a 48-foot trailer and other items from a construction site in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81 at mile marker 126.1 in Ryan Township.
Police said someone removed the trailer that was loaded with 12 bundles of 3-foot by 20-foot 20-gauge steel sheeting between 6 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. The items are owned by Reinsfelder Inc. of Millvale and Advanced Painting of Allion Park, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-874-5300.
Coal company
victim of theft
NEWTOWN - State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a criminal mischief, theft and burglary that occurred at White Pine Coal Co. in Reilly Township between 6:15 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday.
Police said someone broke a steel lock box on an entrance gate, went onto the property and broke the door of a steel container and the door of a 4600 dragline. The person or persons stole an S&K socket set in a green box and fled the area.
Police accuse man
of leaving scene
WILLIAMSTOWN - A 24-year-old Wiconisco man will be charged with careless driving and accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property by state police at Lykens after a crash on West Market Street, just west of North West Street in this Dauphin County community, about 7:25 a.m. Oct. 4.
Police said Shane R. Zellers was driving a 2007 Dodge Caliber east on West Market Street when he drove out of his lane of travel and struck the driver's side mirror of a parked 2002 Volkswagen Passat. The man left the area continuing east on West Market Street without stopping, police said.
Zellers, who was identified as a result of the investigation, will have to answer to the charges before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville, police said.
Police urge
locking vehicles
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS - West Mahanoy Township police are investigating vehicles being entered during the nighttime hours Oct. 12 and 13.
Police said several residents reported that someone entered and rummaged through their unlocked vehicles before fleeing.
Police urge all residents to keep their vehicles locked at all times when unattended and to report any suspicious activity by calling the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-462-1991.
Pills taken
from residence
WESTON PLACE - The theft of medication that occurred between Oct. 7 and Monday from a home at 110 Weston Place is being investigated by West Mahanoy Township police.
Police said the victim, who was not identified, reported that someone stole between 60 and 75 methadone HCL 10mg pills.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-462-1991.
Checkpoints set
in county
The North Central Regional Sobriety Checkpoint DUI Taskforce announced that Sobriety Checkpoints and Roving DUI Patrols will be conducted today through Monday on routes 61, 183, 901, 209, 1006, 309, 443, 895, 125,25, 924 and 54.
Travelers are reminded to call 911 if they suspect a drunk driver or to call, toll-free, 888-UNDER21 to report underage drinking.
Charges pending
in traffic stop
TAMAQUA - Borough police said DUI charges are pending against a man after a traffic stop on Mauch Chunk Street that occurred about 5:05 a.m. Monday.
Police said they stopped a vehicle driven by James Albaugh for squealing his tires as he left the Tamaqua Diner parking lot. The man was stopped after he left the area at a high rate of speed and found to be under the influence of alcohol, police said.
Police said the man failed field sobriety tests and that DUI charges are pending.