POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT:
Michael Henry, 40, of Ellwood City is charged with Theft and Receiving Stolen Property after an incident on January 13th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:43 a.m., officers were contacted by the manager at Seven-Eleven who stated a male walked into the convenience store and stole a donation jar from the front counter and exited the store. Officers were able to obtain and review surveillance footage that showed the male enter the store, take the donation jar, exit the store and continue on foot into the 600 block of Wampum Avenue. A Seven-Eleven employee identified the male as Henry. Henry is charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking and Receiving Stolen Property.

ACCIDENT:
An Ellwood City woman was involved in a multiple vehicle accident on January 21 on Portersville Road measuring west of Deemer Avenue. According to a report, three units were slowed on Portersville Road waiting for a vehicle turning left onto Deemer Avenue when a 2015 Ford Explorer driven by Nick Elliott, 30, of Kittanning, failed to see the stopped traffic and struck the rear of a 2019 Ford Explorer causing the unit to then strike a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee which was forced into a 2020 Toyota Camry, driven by a 62-year-old Ellwood City female. All vehicles sustained damages and all drivers were wearing lap and shoulder belts. Minor injuries were reported by operators of Unit #3 and Unit #4.

HARASSMENT:
Nichole Benincase, 35, of Ellwood City if charged with Harassment and Stalking after an incident reported on January 12. According to the criminal complaint, it was reported to police that Benincase has been calling, texting, and emailing a member of the police department. Similar charges were filed against Benincase in March 2021 and the victim has never replied to any of the calls, texts, or emails that were reported to have most recently been received between October 2021 and January 17 2022. Benincase was contacted on January 17 and advised to stop contacting the officer.

DUI:
Police were dispatched to an erratic driver traveling northhbound on US-18 in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County for a reported vehicle swerving across lane designators into the oncoming lane of travel, causing a tractor trailer and another car to swerve to avoid it.  Police were dispatched to US-18 near the intersection with Route 108 and located the erratic vehicle. Police pursued and immediately stopped it to initiated the traffic stop near the intersection of N Liberty and E Madison Avenue in New Castle. The driver, Barbara George, 58, of Aliquippa, was asked to exit the vehicle and was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI and transported to a local hospital for a blood draw.

DUI:
Jodi Pensy, 59, of New Castle, is charged with DUI and Careless Driving after an accident on December 26, 2021 in the area of Fridays Hill Road, Wayne Township. According to the criminal complain, officers were dispatched the area around 11:23 a.m. and observed damages of the complainants company vehicle. When interviewed, the complainant related he was checking on the status of his workers and while on scene he observed Pensy strike his vehicle at that time. The complainant advised he attempted to direct her around the work site but Pensy followed directions poorly and seemed disoriented. Police interviewed Pensy and noticed a strong odor of alcohol and was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI and was transported to a local hospital for a blood draw.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT:
Holly DiFrischia, 36, of New Castle is charged with Disorderly Conduct after an incident on December 13, 2021 near Liberty Street in New Castle. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 1:39 p.m., police observed a 2006 Dodge Caravan, driven by DiFrischia, fail to use a turn signal to execute a turn and was without a third brake light. Police executed a traffic stop on N. Cedar St. after the registration to the vehicle owner was identified to have a felony warrant out for arrest. Both DiFrischia and her male passenger were determined to both have arrest warrants out for Forgery resulting in both parties being placed into custody. When granted permission to search the vehicle, police located a glass pipe owned by DiFrischia resulting in an additional charge of Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.