Man wanted
for ATM fraud
MINERSVILLE - Minersville police are looking for a borough man wanted by their department on theft charges.
Police said they have obtained an arrest warrant for Michael J. Sinko, 47, of 116 N. Fourth St., charging him with felony access device fraud and misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Police said on Sept. 3 and 4, Sinko used his ATM card to remove a total of $600 in cash from an ATM at a borough bank.
Bank management reported there was a temporary issue with the machine and that it was not operating in "real time" and not deducting withdrawals from the bank balance.
Police said this allowed Sinko to obtain more money than he had in his account and that he knew prior to each transaction that he was creating over drafts on the account since it was not deducting the withdrawals and therefore knowingly committing theft.
Anyone with information on Sinko's whereabouts is asked to call Minersville police. All information will remain confidential.
4 face charges
in Rush Township
HOMETOWN - Rush Township police reported the details of two incidents that occurred recently in their coverage area.
Police said three people are facing charges after a traffic stop about 8:45 p.m. Monday.
Police said Alexander D. Carrington, 19, of Rome, is facing charges of DUI, underage drinking, having an open container, having drug paraphernalia and summary traffic charges.
In addition, Dustin M. Brown, 18, of Little Meadows, will be charged with underage drinking charges and Jason A. Uhouse, 25, of Warren Center, will be charged with furnishing alcohol to minors.
Uhouse also had a warrant from Bucks County and was placed in Schuylkill County Prison.
In a second incident, police said Terri L. Kates, 33, of Tamaqua, is facing retail theft charges after she stole items valued at $39.90 from Wal-Mart about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday.
Minersville man
cited in city crash
Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred at 6:53 a.m. Friday at the intersection of West Market Street and the Gordon Nagle Trail.
Police said Andrew Yaracz, 25, of Minersville, was driving a 2004 Oldsmobile east on West Market Street when he tried to turn left onto Westwood Road, failed to yield the right of way and drove into the path of a 1994 Jeep Cherokee being driven west by John Moses, 26, of Pottsville.
Police said no injuries were reported and both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Yaracz will be cited for a left turn violation and Pottsville firefighters and EMS assisted at the scene, police said.
Minersville teen
faces drug charges
MINERSVILLE - Minersville police reported Friday charging a 17-year-old borough boy for selling marijuana to an undercover police officer about 10 p.m. March 6 in the 100 block of South Third Street.
Police said the juvenile was charged with delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. The charges were filed with Schuylkill County juvenile authorities, police said.
The teen entered a vehicle and handed the officer a bag containing marijuana and then accepted $50 in pre-recorded cash to complete the sale, police said.
Smashed window
investigated
KASKA - A criminal mischief incident that occurred at 40 Main St. between midnight and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday is being investigated by state police at Frackville.
Police said James J. Kurchock reported someone smashed the side window on this home and then fled the area.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-874-5300.
Haven man
injured in crash
CRESSONA - A 21-year-old Schuylkill Haven man suffered minor injuries when the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier he was driving crashed at Pottsville Street, Route 183, and Tioga Street about 1:55 p.m. Tuesday.
State police at Schuylkill Haven said Jermaine Barlow was driving south when he fell asleep, crossed the northbound lane and went onto a sidewalk where his car struck a utility pole.
Barlow, who police said will be cited for careless driving, was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street by Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS for treatment.
Auburn teen
cited in crash
REEDSVILLE - Two people escaped injury when their vehicles collided on Long Run Road, Route 443, just east of Route 183 in Wayne Township, at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.
State police at Schuylkill Haven said a 17-year-old Auburn boy was driving a 2006 Dodge Stratus east when he ran into the back of a 2005 Dodge Neon driven by Kelsie Blankenhorn, 20, of Schuylkill Haven, who was stopped waiting to make a left turn.
Police said both vehicles were able to be driven off of the roadway and that the teenage driver will be cited for driving at an unsafe speed.
Man violates
county burn ban
CRESSONA - A 69-year-old North Manheim Township man was charged by state police at Schuylkill Haven with violating the mandated county burn ban after an incident at his home about 9:55 a.m. Tuesday.
Police said Jerry A. Bittle had an open fire in his back yard despite the county-wide burn ban that went into effect at noon on April 5.
As a result, police said firefighters from Cressona and Schuylkill Haven were called to extinguish the fire as it began to spread to nearby brush surrounding the man's home.
Teen crashes
into city building
Pottsville police investigated a crash that occurred at Nichols Street and Terry Reiley Way about 12:25 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said officers learned that a 2006 Honda Accord struck the north side of the Service Access Management building located at 590 Terry Reiley Way.
Police said the 16-year-old girl driving the car told them she had been traveling east on Nichols Street when she was forced off the road by an oncoming vehicle traveling west. The teen said she lost control and struck the building.
The girl was taken by Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street for treatment of minor injuries and her car was towed from the scene, police said.
Police: Barnesville
man violates PFA
MOREA - State police at Frackville are looking for a Barnesville man accused of violating a Protection From Abuse order filed against him.
Police said Michael Hannock, 36, violated the order that was filed against him by a 37-year-old Morea woman.
Police said a warrant has been obtained for Hannock's arrest and anyone who knows of his whereabouts is asked to call them at 570-874-5300.
Cameras taken
from Scout camp
NEW RINGGOLD - State police at Frackville are investigating a theft that occurred at a Boy Scout camp at 78 Indian Run Road in East Brunswick Township.
Police said someone stole two game cameras owned by Oreland Boy Scout 1 from a wooded area around the camp and fled the scene.
Police said they do not know exactly when the thefts occurred but ask that anyone with information call them at 570-874-5300.
Pine Grove woman
cited for crash
DETURKSVILLE - State police at Schuylkill Haven investigated a crash that occurred at Deturksville Road, Route 183, and Shoreline Drive in Washington Township about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said Marian Mease, 87, of Pine Grove, was driving a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria west on Route 183 when she crested a hill, crossed over the eastbound lane and went off the road and hit a guide rail.
The car then re-entered the highway, crossed both lanes of travel and struck a ditch off the westbound shoulder of the road.
Mease was not injured and will receive a citation as a result of the crash, police said.
Runaway truck
causes crash
TREMONT - State police at Schuylkill Haven investigated a crash involving a runaway 2007 Volvo truck in the parking lot of Big Lots Distribution Center in Tremont Township about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Police said Slawomir Szwajka, 28, of Garden City, Mich., was out of the vehicle when it started to travel south in the area of the loading docks.
The truck continued south through the parking lot and then went over a curb and hit an embankment where it came to a stop.
No injuries were reported, police said.