POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT BY DECEPTION:
On January 31st at approximately 3:17 p.m., PA State Police investigated a report of fraudulent bank activity. The 63-year-old female victim lives in Wayne Township, Lawrence County and claims that two bank transactions totaling $6,000.00 were made on her bank account with her permission. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact PA State Police reference PA 2023-133176

SIMPLE ASSAULT:
Dakota Litz, 20, of Ellwood City, is charged with Simple Assault and Harassment after an incident on February 2nd. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 2:18 a.m., Ellwood City Police were advised by LEOC that a caller whom was an employee from Sheetz reported a female who also worked at Sheetz walked into the store crying because she was hit by her boyfriend. When police interviewed the store manager, she related that the victim walked from her house to the store without shoes and was found with a bleeding lip and red marks on the side of her neck and face. The victim advised that she and Litz had an argument that resulted in Litz striking her. Officers went to the residence on Haig Street, Ellwood City and arrested Litz without issue.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF:
Jeffrey Seybert, 38, of Ellwood City, is charged with Criminal Mischief, Harrassment, and Careless Driving after an incident at a Dollar General on January 29th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:38 p.m., police responded to the Dollar General, located on Woodside Avenue, Wayne Township, for a hit and run crash. Police were advised both vehicles left the scene and later made contact with the victim for an interview. The victim related that his neighbor, Seybert, entered the store and threatened him. The victim left the store but before he could leave in his vehicle, Seybert intentionally hit him with his vehicle. Police later interviewed Seybert who related he never struck the victim with a vehicle. Police did not observe any damages to his vehicle. Police observed video surveillance of the incident that shows an altercation between Seybert and the victim where a verbal argument ensued and Seybert postured as if he was going to strike the victim before both parties were separated and both left the scene. Based on the above aforementioned information, police request
that Seybert answer to the above charges.

HARRASSMENT:
Scott Gibbons, 47, of Ellwood City, is charged with Harrassment and Strangulation after an incident on January 28th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:32 p.m., New Castle police were requested to speak with a victim at their station where the victim related she had got into a verbal argument with her boyfriend a few days prior and had stayed a friends house for a few days before returning to her residence on West Lawrence Avenue where she resides with Gibbons. The victim relates Gibbons became angry with her for leaving and attacked her. When police interviewed Gibbons he related that the arguement never got physical and had left the residence when the victim returned to avoid further confrontation. Based on the aforementioned information made available in the criminal complaint, police have requested that Gibbons answer to the above charges.

USE/POSSESSION:
Amanda Crowl, 37, of Ellwood City, is charged with Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after an incident on January 26th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 5:31 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on a 2010 Ford truck for a traffic violation. Police made contact with the passenger of the vehicle, Crowl, who was removed front he vehicle for having two active out-of-state warrants. During a consent search, police located two crack cocaine rocks in Crowl’s pant pocket and film strips and a foil paper containing a suspected brown controlled substance in her purse. Crowl was placed under arrest and charged.

DUI:
Robert Shoup, 54, of Portersville, is charged with DUI after a single vehicle crash on January 18th. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 8:43 p.m., PA State Police were dispatched the accident on US Highway 422 near its intersection with Mt. Herman Church Road and made contact with Shoup whom was found to have a strong smell of alcohol emanating from him and swaying and unsteady on his feet. Police conducted a field sobriety test for which Shoup failed and he was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI and transported to a nearby hospital for a blood draw.

HIDTA Operation #41 (pictured)
On January 30, 2023, the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office through its HIDTA initiative executed a sealed search warrant at 520 Wildwood Avenue in the City of New Castle. The target of the investigation, Sheldon Whitehead, was located inside the residence along with another male from Detroit, MI, later identified as Karl BOYD. Whitehead’s live-in girlfriend and two juvenile children were also located inside the residence. A search of the residence yielded approximately 1,329 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 220 grams of suspected crack cocaine and approximately 250 grams of suspected fentanyl. A loaded .40 cal. Springfield Armory handgun, multiple items used for manufacturing-controlled substances, and a 2014 Chrysler Town & Country were seized. The total street value of the suspected narcotics is approximately $90,000. Whitehouse is being charged with 3 counts of Possession with intent to deliver a controlled or counterfeit substance; 1 count of Persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell, or transfer firearms; and 1 count of Possession of drug paraphernalia. He has been lodged in the Lawrence County Jail pending his Preliminary Hearing. This investigation and subsequent search and arrest was conducted by detectives from the District Attorney’s Office, Office the Pennsylvania Attorney General, Union Township Police Department, New Castle Police Department, and Ellwood City Police Department. A special thanks is extended to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office for their initiation of this search and arrest.

CRIMINAL HOMICIDE:
In a press release made available the Ellwood City Police Department Tuesday morning, the ECPD provides details on the Monday afternoon shooting that left one person dead and one in critical condition. 23-year-old Keegan Willis King has been charged with Criminal Homicide and Attempted Criminal Homicide.