SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT FIRE

At least three are homeless following a South Williamsport fire yesterday.  Firefighters were called out to the double home at 221-223 West Second Avenue around 6:15pm yesterday when fire reportedly broke out on the front porch and quickly spread. A second alarm was called in and several companies were dispatched to the scene.  The home owned by John and Chris McDermott was destroyed.  Vehicles parked there were damaged and a neighboring home also suffered damage. NO one was injured, an estimated of damage not released and the cause is under investigation.

MAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE THEN SHOT AT

State police in Montoursville say they are still looking for two men who were inside a vehicle which struck another man in Loyalsock Township yesterday.  The incident happened around 2:40pm on Robbins Road just off of Warrensville Road. The man was struck and then shot at with the shot missing him, the vehicle then backed up to strike him again, but took off.  The victim who was not identified was not seriously injured. The car was later found in the Wal-Mart Parking lot in Montoursville with the store searched.  Police say they continue their investigation and are asking anyone with information to give them a call.

ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL

A large contingent of emergency responders, police and others descended on the UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Medical Center yesterday morning to participate in an active shooter drill.  The drill involved more than 500 people from more than 30 agencies across the area.  Area college students played patients and victims and two persons portrayed themselves as active shooters with two helicopters involved, as well as fire crews, EMS and employees from other area hospitals.

MOTORCYCLE CRASH INJURES MAN

A man was treated at UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center after crashing his motorcycle in the city of Williamsport on Saturday night.  The accident happened around 11pm, as 67 year old Randolph Hill crashed his cycle into a pole in the 1100 block of Washington Boulevard. His condition was not released. The crash remains under investigation by Williamsport police.

CITY CRASH INJURES WOMAN

A female passenger was taken to the hospital for treatment following a crash in the city of Williamsport on Saturday evening.  Police say 31 year old Clifford Deljonavon of Williamsport lost control of his vehicle on Memorial Avenue around 9:30pm,  The vehicle went off the roadway and onto the property of the Memorial Homes complex, striking a a bank of ground based heating and air conditioning units.  A passenger, 53 year old Collette Weaver of Lock Haven was taken to the hospital and treated. Her condition was not released.  The apartment complex itself was not damaged.

WOMAN RESCUED FROM BURNING APARTMENT

Fire struck in the city of Williamsport yesterday afternoon leaving three homeless and sending a woman to the hospital for smoke inhalation and other injures.  The fire broke out around 5:30pm in the kitchen of a 2^nd floor apartment at 45 Huffman Street.  Williamsport’s Fire chief Todd Heckman who was off-duty at the time, with the help of some neighbors and city police officers was able to pull the woman out of the burning structure.  Her condition was not released.  Fire damage was extensive and the woman and her boyfriend as well as a downstairs tenant are homeless. The cause is under investigation.

DUKE STREET PROJECT CLOSES ANOTHER ROAD

It’s back to work for crews on the Duke Street Reconstruction project in Northumberland today.  Beginning today, Queen Street will be closed between 2^nd Street and Water Street.as the contractor continues reconstruction on the northbound lane of Route 11 from the railroad underpass toward King Street.  Access will be maintained to homes and businesses on Queen Street during the work which is expected to last to the end of July.  A detour will be in effect.

STABBING INCIDENT, TWO JAILED

Two persons were jailed following an incident along Lycoming Creek Road on Saturday afternoon.  Police were called to an apartment house at 2303 Lycoming Creek Road on Saturday afternoon for reports of a man with a knife. There they found that 37 year old Charles Johnson had slashed the arm of Mark Walker Jr. who was there to help a woman retrieve some property from the apartment.  Johnson was charged with assault and other counts and jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.  Another woman, was jailed after it was found she was wanted on an arrest warrant in Cameron County.

MILTON MAN ARRESTED FOR FIRING GUN

A Milton man faces multiple charges following an incident there early yesterday morning.  Police say around 2am, Rafael Mora-Kuilan fired a gun into a group of people twice in the area of Broadway and Long Alley in Milton.  No one was hit.  It was found that the gun was stolen.  Mora-Kuilan faces charges of felony riot as well as firearms charges.  He is jailed in Northumberland County.

WATSONTOWN MAN ACCUSED OF ASSAULT

A Watsontown man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly assaulting a woman as well as a 14 year old girl.  The incident happened at a Watsontown home as 37 year old Joshua Dunn allegedly attmpted to strangle the girl and threatened her. He then allegedly struck another woman in the head.   He has been charged with 2 counts of simple assault, 2 counts of harassment, criminal attempt to commit strangulation and disorderly conduct and is free on $50,000 bail.

COUNCIL CALLING ON MAYOR TO FILL POSITIONS

During their meeting tonight, Williamsport City Council is expected to announce an option to compel Mayor Gabriel Campana to make recommendations to put people on the board for the Williamsport Water and Sanitary Authority, which would include creating a committee to evaluate prospective appointees or reappointees.  Council members have expressed their dissatisfaction with what they say is the mayor not following protocol in filling seats that have expired in a timely manner.  Five members terms have recently expired.  Mayor Campana has denounced council’s concerns.

RECERTIFICATION EFFORTS GET SOME FINANCIAL HELP

As the levee recertification moves forward in the Williamsport Area, the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce has announced that they are contributing to the effort.  It was announced yesterday that the Chamber will $500,000 dollars towards the project which will cost millions of dollars.  Meanwhile, the Williamsport Water and Sanitary Authority continues to review a request for a million dollars.    The Authority tabled any action on that request yesterday.  Federal, State and local officials continue working on grants and other financing options to fund the mandated repair and recertification process.

CONDITIONS RIPE FOR BRUSH FIRES

It’s that time of year where things are drying up, and with windy conditions, things are ripe for brush fires.  Area fire companies were called out to a couple of those within Lycoming County yesterday.  One occurred in Mifflin Township off of Route 973 which burned about a half an acre, the other in Penn Township along Beaver Lake Road of which it was originally believed a barn was involved.  You are reminded that until we get some rain which is expected to happen later today, to keep and eye on your outdoor burning, so it doesn’t get out of hand.

LINDEN MAN CHARGED

A Linden man with a previous drug conviction was jailed on Monday after firearms were found in his home.  State police charged 45 year old Douglas Fredericks with being a convicted felon not to possess a firearm after a shotgun and two handguns were found at his Linden home.  He was arraigned and jailed in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 dollars bail.

CITY MAN JAILED ON DRUG CHARGES

A Williamsport man was jailed on Friday following an unspecified incident in the 200 block of William Street in the city.  29 year old Michael Musilli was found with cocaine and was charged with attempted delivery of cocaine and illegal use of a cellphone after being arrested there.  He was arraigned and jailed in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

FAMILY CALLS FOR IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION

The family of a man shot by police in State College last week, is calling for an in-depth investigation into his shooting.  29 year old Osazie Osagie, was shot by police after he produced a knife while police were at his State College apartment to serve a mental health warrant on March 20^th.  His parents have enlisted the help of the ACLU calling on Centre County officials to do a rigorous, independent and transparent investigation which includes an assessment of the role that mental health and race may have played in the shooting.  The identity of the officer who show Osagie has not been released.

WOMAN CHARGED WITH MAKING FALSE REPORTS

A Northumberland County woman is free on bail, charged with two counts of perjury and a count of unsworn falsification to law enforcement after allegedly making false accusations against a police chief there.  Back in January, 21 year old Shaylee Heller of Treverton accused Zerbe Township police chief Mike Kreischer of physical and sexual assault.  It was determined by state police that the woman’s statement were false at the time, but at the end of the month, Heller sought a PSA against Kreischer which was first approved, but rescinded when she made similar false accusations against a state trooper. She is free on $5,000 bail.

ONLINE SCAM

Once again this year, there is an online scam involving Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg.  Officials with Knoebels are telling residents who get an online offer for free tickets to the Amusement Resort in exchange for filling out a survey to ignore it. They say they are not running any such promotion.  Officials say a legitimate Knoebels promotion will also provide contest rules an the communications will originate from knoebels.com, an official Knoebels email address or one of the parks’ verified social media outlets.  The park opens for the season on April 27^th.

FATHER AND SON DROWNED

Drowning has been ruled as the cause of death for a father and his one year old son, who were found in the Susquehanna River following an accident in Bradford County over the weekend.  A car containing 39 year old Derek Marshall, 31 year old Emily Hoey and their 1 year old son Maddox went off of Sheshequin Road in Athens Township into the River around 10pm on Friday night.  Hoey was able to get to shore.  The bodies of the father and son were found on Saturday.  An autopsy confirmed the two drowned.  The investigation into the crash continues. It’s not been determined who was driving or why that car went off of the road yet.

MILTON MAN INVOLVED IN CYCLE CRASH

A Milton man has been identified as the injured operator of a motorcycle which crashed on Interstate 180 on Sunday afternoon.  61 year old Steven Gallo was operating the cycle which went out of control and slid into the medial at the on-ramp to 180 in Loyalsock Township around 5:10 on Sunday. He was taken to UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center for treatment of a serious leg injury. His condition has not been released and no one else was involved in that crash.

STOP THE BLEED KITS DONATED IN JERSEY SHORE

Thanks to Geisinger Medical Center and Susquehanna Transit, the Jersey Shore Area School District and other community groups will receive bleeding control kits as part of Geisinger’s Stop the Bleed Program.  Six wall-mounted stations containing 48 bleeding control kits will be installed in Jersey Shore School district buildings.  Other stations will be installed at the Jersey Shore YMCA, Pool, Lions Club Little League Field and the Walnut Street Christian School.  Training on how to use the kits will also take place allowing for those using the kits to to be used to hep control bleeding during a traumatic incident.

CABIN BURGLARY

A cabin in Pine Township in Lycoming County has been burglarized, and State Police are looking for information.  The burglary happened sometime between January 1^st and March 19^th of this year at the cabin along Cemetery Road in Pine Township owned by Gary Ludwig of Jersey Shore.  Someone broke into the building and took about $950 worth of items and also caused about $400 damage to the cabin.  State police are asking anyone with information to give them a call at 570-368-5700.

MARYLAND MAN CHARGED WITH CASHING STOLEN CHECKS

Police in Union County have charged a Maryland man with forging three stolen checks and cashing them at banks there last year.  Police say that on July 25^th and 26^th of last year, 32 year old John Dombusch cashed the three checks from Murray Motors at the Mifflinburg Bank and Trust Bank branches in Mifflinburg and Lewisburg.  The total of loss is more than $5,200 dollars.  Dombusch who also faces forgery charges in Maryland has been charged with forgery, theft by deception, bad checks, and receiving stolen property and will have a preliminary hearing on April 2^nd.

MAN FACES ASSAULT CHARGES

A New Columbia man faces charges of assault as well as other counts stemming from two incidents on the same day earlier this month.  State Police in Milton say that 69 year old Rodney Noll first went to one home in White Deer Township in Union County on March 14^th and punched a man in the face, knocking him down and causing injury.  He then went to another residence in the Township and used a wooden stick to repeatedly beat a man about the head and face, warning both men to stay away from his family.  It’s not known if the man was jailed following the incidents.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FORUM TONIGHT

Area residents can hear from Republican candidates for various offices in Lycoming County tonight during a candidate’s forum in the city of Williamsport.  The Lycoming County Republican Committee will host the forum at the Genetti Hotel in Downtown Williamsport from 6:30 to 8:30pm.  There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of the candidate during the forum.

ROAD RELOCATION TO BEGIN

Hughesville Borough Council got the scoop from PennDOT about a street relocation which will begin in the borough next week.  Council was told that on April 5^th, crews will begin relocation of Race Street in Hughesville, which will result in the shutting down of some side streets in that area.  The street relocation is part of the larger road construction project to improve the intersection of Route 220 and 405.  The work on Race Street is expected to last until early June.

CRACKING DOWN ON VAPING TEENS

Legislation passed in the State House of Representatives yesterday would crack down on the sales of vaping products to minors in Pennsylvania. Under the law, minors who attempt to buy vaping products or get caught is e-cigarettes at school could face criminal charges.  The law would also allow for state and local inspections to crack down on the sales of vaping products to minors.  Right now the law only allows for inspections for tobacco sales to minors.  The legislation still has to pass the state senate and be signed into law by the governor.

WOMAN CHARGED IN HOMICIDE

Police have arrested a South Williamsport woman who allegedly drove three others to the scene of a robbery and murder in the city of Williamsport in August of 2016.  25 year old Ariel Harlan was allegedly behind the wheel of a vehicle which transported Joseph Coleman Jr, James Rooks and Jamal Brown to the Park Avenue address where Christopher Wilkins was shot and killed as the three attempted to rob his residence.  Due to a state law, Harlan will face the same charges of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy, robbery and carrying firearm without a license as the other three.

CYCLIST INJURED IN SUNDAY AFTERNOON CRASH

A motorcycle crash on Interstate 180 at the East Third Street on—ramp at Montoursville shut down that section of roadway for about 45 minutes yesterday afternoon.  The unidentified motorcycle operator lost control of his bike around 4:15pm with the bike going into a slide into the median.  The operator suffered a leg injury and was transported to an area hospital via ambulance. That person’s name and condition have not been released.  Traffic had to be rerouted along East Third Street as crews worked at the scene of that crash.

UNION COUNTY COULD OWE THE STATE MONEY

Union County taxpayers may be into the state for $79,330 dollars due to a filing error.  According to the state, Two final reports confirming bridge projects which were funded with state liquid Fuels money were not filed with the state. The audit for 2017 recommends that the county reimburse the money to the Liquid Fuels tax fund as it can’t be determined if the projects were completed to the satisfaction of the Department of Transportation.  The projects were done back in 2007 and 2009 with final payments made in 2015 and 2017.

MAN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT ON WOMAN

Milton State Police have announced the arrest of a Milton man who they say assaulted a female at a home in Union County earlier this month.  Police were called out on March 14^th when an altercation between 60 year old James Toot and the unnamed woman became physical when Toot allegedly put the woman in a headlock restricting her breathing.  He was charged strangulation, simple assault and harassment and was jailed in Union County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.

DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT $5 MILLION

The surveys are in and officials with the city of Williamsport are hoping that damage is high enough to get help from the state.  Some 85 surveys documenting flood damage over the past ten years along Grafius Run in the city of Williamsport were returned with damage estimated at about $5 million dollars in losses over that time.  It’s believed that on average, $10,000 dollars of damage was done to each property.  Officials will send the results to the state Department of Environmental Protection with hopes that state money will be made available for flood mitigation and stormwater repair along Grafius Run.

MAN AND SON FOUND IN RIVER

A 29 year old Bradford County man and his 1 year old son were found in the Susquehanna River on Saturday following a crash there on Friday night.  A vehicle carrying 29 year old Derek Marshall, 31 year old Emily Hoey and their 1 year old son Maddox was traveling at a high rate of speed on Sheshequin Road near Athens on Friday night around 10:15 when it went into the river.  Hoey was able to be out and make it to shore. A search of the river yielded the bodies of the father and son.  Autopsies have been scheduled to determined the exact cause of death.

CSVT WORK RAMPING BACK UP

Work is ramping back up on the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway project.  Work continues on the River Bridge adjacent to Route 147 and PennDOT reports that there will be periodic lane closures on under flagging on 147 as that work continues.  There is also a ten foot width restriction in place for pier construction there.  Work will ramp back up on the spring at the Winfield Interchange, qas well as on the northern section in which paving is expected to take place this spring.

FEDERAL PRISONER INDICTED

A Federal Grand Jury has handed down and indictment against an Allenwood Federal prison inmate, accused of the November 2018 attack on a corrections officer.  54 year old James Duncan allegedly struck the unnamed officer, causing  a bodily injury to the man at the prison on November 26^th of last year. Duncan faces the federal indictment and if found guilty could see a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison as well as a $250,000 fine.  Prosecutors say the sentence would hinge on a number of factors.

FIRE DISPLACES THREE

Three persons are temporarily displaced and a man suffered first degree burns to his hands as a fire in a grill yesterday spread up the side of a structure in the city of Williamsport.  Firefighters were called out around 9:50am to the rear of a home at 1127 Charles Street.  The fire started in a grill and started spreading up the outside of the home.  One of the occupants, John Alexander was able to push the grill off of the porch suffering the burns.  Firefighters arrived and were able to keep the fire from spreading inside the home.  A damage estimate was not released and the cause is under investigation.

CABIN DAMAGED BY FIRE

Fire yesterday damaged a cabin along Wallis Run Road in Gamble Township.; The fire broke out around 6pm in the cabin owned by George “Herman” Logue bringing in firefighters from four area companies.  They were able to bring it under control in about 15 minutes.  No one was hurt in that fire and it caused about $20,000 dollars damage to the cabin.  The cause of that Gamble Township fire is under investigation.

TWO INJURED IN CITY ACCIDENT

An early morning accident in the city of Williamsport yesterday sent two persons to the hospital with unknown injuries.  That crash occurred around 5:30am at High and Campbell Streets as vehicles driven by Tryphine Strothers and Jolanda Cruz both of Williamsport collided.  The accident also damaged a fire hydrant which was knocked off, a traffic light and a fence.  Both drivers were transported to UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center.  Their conditions were not reported.

WOMAN BRIEFLY TRAPPED FOLLOWING CRASH

A woman was briefly trapped in her vehicle following a crash yesterday on the Route 405 bridge between Muncy and  Montgomery.  The two vehicles collided on the bridge and firefighters had to take the roof off of one of the cars in order to get the female driver out.  Both drivers were transported to UPMC Susquehanna Williamsport Regional Medical Center for treatment.  Their names and conditions were not released following that crash.

MAN INDICTED IN FEDERAL COURT

An Old Lycoming Township man was recently indicted in Federal District Court in Williamsport for drug sales and weapons charges.  39 year old Zakhary Pryor is accused of the sale of heroin and cocaine in the area on five separate dates between September and November of last year in the area.  In addition, he was found on November 20^th with meth, heroin, cocaine, marijuana an PCP.  In addition he is charged with possessing three handguns in commission of the crimes.  The investigation was a joint effort amongst state police, the county Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the FBI.

MAN SHOT BY POLICE IN STATE COLLEGE

A man was shot by police in State College yesterday and the officers involved are on administrative leave while an investigation occurs. Officers went to the Marvin Garden Apartments on Old Boalsburg Road around 2pm yesterday to serve a mental health warrant on a 29 year old man there.  No other information is available as to how or why the man was shot by police.  State police and the Centre County District Attorney’s office are investigating that shooting.

OFFICER JUSTIFED IN SHOOTING OF MAN

A State police officer was justified when he shot a man who was barricaded in his home in Waterville in December.  The findings were released on Tuesday that a state police special response officer was justified when he fired a shot which struck 62 year old Brant Hartung in the head during a standoff at the man’s home on December 31^st.  Hartung had called 911 that morning, but fired on police when they arrived.  He also would not respond to officers trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution.  No one else was hurt in that incident.

SNYDER COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH SHIPPING PILLS

A Snyder County man faces up to four years in prison and a $25,000 dollar fine for shipping pain killers and muscle relaxers to customers in at least nine U.S. states.  Clyde Snyder was recently charged in federal court and has pleaded guilty to getting shipments of pills from Germany, repackaging them, and then shipping them through the U.S. Mail. It’s believed that between April of 2015 and April of 2017 he distributed100,000 pills through the mail.

WOMAN STEALS FROM SOCIAL CLUB

A Snyder County woman waived here preliminary hearing on a count of felony theft on Tuesday.  39 year old Tamara Dangelo is accused of stealing more than $41,000 dollars from the Hummels Wharf Fire Company Social Hall and using the money for her own personal use between May 10^th of 2017 and November 5^th of 2018.  Some of the money was used to pay personal bills, and buy items while she was in Las Vegas.  The woman was the treasurer of the social club at the time.  She will be prosecuted in Snyder County Court.

DELAYS EXPECTED IN NORTHUMBERLAND

Delays are expected in Northumberland today along a section of King Street there.  Between the hours of 8:30am and 2:30pm UGI will be core drilling on King Street between Water Street and the Priestly Bridge.  PennDOT reports that during the work there will be lane resrictions under flagging.  Motorists should be alert and drive with caution through the workzone there today.