News

8/23/19

by News Department on 08/23/19

Cause of death determined...

The death of a woman found in Norwegian Township, on Tuesday morning, has been ruled a suicide.

According to the Republican Herald, State police said 47 year old Roberta Wrona was reported missing to Pottsville police, Monday.

Authorities said the subsequent investigation determined that Wrona took her own life. State police said there was never any threat to the public, and that the investigation is completed.

8/23/19

by News Department on 08/23/19

2 In custody; 1 Wanted...

Two people were jailed and Minersville police obtained an arrest warrant for a third after a search warrant was executed at a home Tuesday night.

According to the Republican Herald, the warrant was the result of ongoing narcotics investigations. Police said upon entering, they found between 80 and 100 hypodermic needles strewn throughout the home.

35 year old Brandon Hosier and 34 year old Melissa Farrell were in the residence with their 15-month-old and 2-week-old daughters.

Hosier and Farrell were arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $15,000 straight cash bail.

Schuylkill County Children & Youth Services were contacted and took emergency custody of the two children, who were placed in foster care.

29 year old Chrystyna Hosier could not be located and police obtained a warrant for her arrest.

8/21/19

by News Department on 08/21/19

8/21/19

by News Department on 08/21/19

Wanted Man...

Authorities are currently asking for the public's help in finding a man that is wanted by Mahanoy City Police.

According to Skook News, 36 year old James Sladek, of Mahanoy City is wanted by police on Felony charges of Endangering the Welfare of Children and misdemeanor charges of Terroristic Threats from an incident on August 13, 2019.

Anyone with information on his location is asked to call 911.

8/21/19

by News Department on 08/21/19

Fire under investigation...

Fire gutted a home in the Arch Street projects and damaged an adjoining home Tuesday morning.

According to the Republican Herald, Pottsville Fire Chief James Misstishin said the fire was contained to the first floor of the home at 1117 W. Arch St. with an adjoining home at 1119 W. Arch St. sustaining smoke damage.

Misstishin said a woman residing in the 1117 W. Arch St. home was taken to a hospital as a precaution for evaluation and no other injuries were reported.

Pottsville Police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said his department is working with Misstishin and a state police marshal to find out how the fire started.

The American Red Cross Tri-County Chapter is assisting those affected with lodging, clothing and food.

8/21/19

by News Department on 08/21/19

Animal cruelty...

An Upper Bern Township father and son have been charged with animal cruelty after a Hamburg-area resident reported seeing a kitten tossed out of the passenger window of a car.

According to reports, 61 yaer old Allen J. Heckman and 20 year old Aaron J. Heckman were charged by summons on June 25 by a state police from the Hamburg station.

Both men waived a preliminary hearing Monday before a District Judge in Hamburg and remain free awaiting further court action.

The criminal complaint states that a Tilden Township resident saw Heckman’s vehicle going past his property on Old Route 22 on June 18. He said an occupant threw a kitten out the passenger widow while the car was moving.

8/21/19

by News Department on 08/21/19

Body discovered...

A woman’s body was found Tuesday morning in a wooded area of Norwegian Township.

According to the Republican Herald, State police at Schuylkill Haven, along with members of the Forensic Services Unit and the Troop L Major Case Team, processed the scene near a property on Walnut Lane, off Maple Avenue, in Mar Lin.

Police also obtained search warrants from the office of Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, related to the case. However, details of those warrants were not available.

Authorities have not indicated how they think the woman died, and no additional information has yet been released.

8/20/19

by News Department on 08/20/19

8/20/19

by News Department on 08/20/19

Prison sentence...

Schuylkill County Judge John E. Domalakes decided Monday that a Schuylkill Haven man will serve time in a state prison for killing a Berks County man in a January 2018 traffic accident.

According to the Republican Herald, 50 year old David C. Zalonka was charged by State police at Reading with running a red light on Jan. 5, 2018, at Route 61 and Municipal Road, striking a vehicle driven by 59 year old Rodney Brown, of Blandon, causing his death.

Zalonka pleaded guilty on July 31 to homicide by vehicle.

Domalakes ruled that hemust now spend six to 30 months in a state correctional institution.

8/20/19

by News Department on 08/20/19

Cause unknown...

The cause of an early morning fire Monday, in Ashland, is still not known.

According to the Republican Herald, firefighters were called to 11 N. 11th St. for the report of a house fire.

Fire Chief Philip Groody said the fire started in the basement and spread to the ceiling and electrical wiring.

The occupants of the home were able to escape safely and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Groody said one firefighter suffered minor injuries.

The cause of the fire has been listed as undetermined.

8/20/19

by News Department on 08/20/19

Man in custody...

A man wanted by Pottsville police for his role in a gunfire incident, last month, was located in Ashland.

According to the Republican Herald, police had an arrest warrant for 22 year old Isaiah Jared Samuels, of Pottsville, from an incident on July 13 when officers were called to the area of Third and Sanderson streets for the report of gunfire.

Authorities received information Friday that Samuels was at a home in the 700 block of Centre Street. Then around 1 p.m. Saturday, Pottsville police, along with officers from Ashland, Shenandoah, Minersville and Mount Carmel, and state police from the Frackville station, took Samuels into custody.

8/20/19

by News Department on 08/20/19

Fatal Motorcycle Crash...

A Pottsville man was killed, Monday afternoon, when the motorcycle he was driving collided with a box truck on Route 61 in West Brunswick Township.

According to the Republican Herald, the crash happened near the Lighthouse Church when the driver of the motorcycle, 61 year old Gary E. Purcell was driving his 2012 Honda Goldwing north as 29 year old John M. Paduhovich, of York, was driving the truck and tried to make a U-turn at 1120 Centre Turnpike.

State Police said that Purcell attempted to swerve to avoid a collision with the truck but was unable to do so. The motorcycle struck the truck and became lodged underneath.

Purcell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Paduhovich was not injured.

8/19/19

by News Department on 08/19/19

8/19/19

by News Department on 08/19/19

Fire in Northumberland County...

Flames caused a part of a home to collapse in Northumberland County.

Officials say the fire started just after 4 a.m. Saturday at a home along South Market Street in Shamokin.

A second alarm was called shortly afterward.

Police say the fire started in the back of the home, but because part of the building collapsed, investigators could not safely get to the area where they believe it started.

No injuries were reported and Shamokin police say the investigation into what caused the blaze is ongoing.

8/19/19

by News Department on 08/19/19

2 In Custody...

A man and woman were locked up in Schuylkill County Prison after a fire in Pottsville early Thursday.

According to Skook News, Pottsville Police responded to the area of 2nd and Arch Street for a structure fire.

This address had previously been secured by City of Pottsville Code Enforcement officers and no one was permitted to be inside.

Upon arrival 19 year old Tyler Hall and 19 year old Jessica Yerger exited the basement. Hall was found to have an active arrest warrant issued out of Virginia.

Further investigation showed that Hall and Yerger had been illegally staying in the basement area of the building and using candles for lighting.

They were arraigned by MDJ Reiley and placed into the Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $10,000 cash bail each.

The investigation into the fire is still ongoing.

8/19/19

by News Department on 08/19/19

Building Collapse in Girardville...

A partial collapse of a structure occurred Sunday night on West Mahanoy Avenue in the borough of Girardville.

According to the Republican Herald, Ranger’s Hose Company firefighters responded to the call, one wall on the vacant home at 341 W. Mahanoy Ave. fell toward the back of the property along Ogden Street, although officials say it’s not close enough to the street to cause any endangerment.

The extent of the damage will be determined by the borough today.

8/19/19

by News Department on 08/19/19

Ashland Fire...

An early morning fire chased three people from a home in Ashland.

According to Skook News, it was just before 1:15am, emergency personnel were dispatched to 11 North 11th Street in Ashland for a House Fire with possible entrapment.

Fire crews from Schuylkill and Northumberland Counties responded to the scene and found fire in the basement of the home.

All occupants made it out of the home. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

A State Police Fire Marshal has been called to investigate the cause.

8/15/19

by News Department on 08/15/19

8/15/19

by News Department on 08/15/19

Victim was native of Pottsville...

A woman, who was gunned down and killed by her estranged husband, in a murder-suicide, Monday, at a Harrisburg movie theater, was originally from Schuylkill County and an Army veteran.

According to the Republican Herald, 40 year old Kelly Marie Kearn, of Hummelstown, was shot by 50 year old Julian Kearn in the parking lot of the Regal Cinema.

She was a native of Pottsville, graduating from Tri-Valley High School in 1997, then from Penn State University in 2001 before serving in the Army for nine years, with a tour of duty in Iraq.

No further information about the homicide was released to the media.

Services for Kelly Kearn will be held 11:30 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s E.C. Church, 172 Ridge Road, Pitman.

8/15/19

by News Department on 08/15/19

Death ruled accidental...

The death of a man, found under a vehicle on his Branch Township property, Tuesday afternoon, has been ruled accidental.

According to the Republican Herald, 67 year old Robert Yeager was found dead, in a garage, to the rear of his 1411 Bunting St. home.

Schuylkill Haven state police said a vehicle Yeager was working on, fell off wooden blocks.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III said Wednesday that a virtual autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.