POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

HARASSMENT:
On April 6th at approximately 1:28 a.m., PA State Police responded to a report of a domestic altercation at a residence on Spring Avenue Extension, Wayne Township. According to information received, amidst a verbal altercation, a 35-year-old male became physical with a 32-year-old female victim. According to the police report, the arrested man will be charged with one count of harassment. The charge will be filed and pending through the Office of Magisterial District Judge Jerry Cartwright, Jr.

HARASSMENT:
On April 9th at approximately 7:31 a.m., PA State Police responded to a report of harassment in the area of Guy Way, Wayne Township. According to the police report, a 36-year-old male victim from Wampum stated his girlfriend hit him in the head with a lamp. The victim denied prosecution.

DUI:
Gordon Brandenburg, 53, of Koppel, is charged with DUI after a traffic stop on February 24th. According to the police report, and at approximately 12:46 a.m., police initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that failed to execute a right turn from 5th Street onto Lawrence Avenue, in Ellwood City. Brandenburg displayed indicators of impairment and place under arrest for suspicion of DUI.

PFA VIOLATION:
On February 22nd between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 1:09 p.m. at a residence on Spring Avenue Extension, Wayne Township, a 37-year-old male from Beaver Falls, a defendant of an active temporary protection from abuse order (PFA) made personal contact with a protected 14-year-old female victim from Ellwood City, along with social media contact with the plaintiff of the PFA, a 42-year-old female from Ellwood City. During contact with the juvenile, the man was observed outside the residence by the juvenile where he removed the outside screen of a window and then attempted to open the actual window but was unable. According to the police report, the man fled the scene prior to police arrival, but contact was made with him by phone, and he agreed to immediately turn himself in to the authority of PA State Police. The man was arrested, arrained by Judge Jerry Cartwright, Jr., and incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail.

BURGLARY:
On March 20th at approximately 11:20 p.m, police were dispatched to a residence on Morrison Avenue, Perry Township for a report of a burglary. According to a criminal complaint, and upon arrival, police interviewed a victim who related she was in a living room when she saw a female crawling on the ground and was able to be identified as Barbara Zias, 59, of Ellwood City, who the victim knew from growing up in the neighborhood. The victim related that Zias stated her husband kicked her out and the victim told Zias she could not stay at her residence and needed to leave.  The complaint relates that before leaving Zias stole the victim’s purse containing $500.00. Through investigation, it was determined Zias gained access through the rear door using a spare key that was kept on the back porch. Zias is charged with Burglary, Loitering, and Theft By Unlawful Taking.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY:
On May 9th at approximately 4:24 p.m., police officers were dispatched to Ellwood City Shop n Save for an armed robbery with a gun. According to the criminal complaint, a store clerk advised a blonde female wearing a grey hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans with a baseball hat and a flower print mask on came to the register, showed a black gun in her waistband, and demanded all the money from the register. The clerk stated she told the female ‘no’ and the female then left the scene. Upon reviewing security footage inside the store, police observe the female leave the grocery store and run west bound through a parking lot towards T&M Hardware. Additional footage shows the female enter an alleyway and into a dark blue Ford Fusion with PA Registration belonging to Nicole Carothers, 45, of Ellwood City. Police later made contact with Carothers at her residence and she matched the description of the suspect. Police also identified a matching hat in the backseat of a Ford Fusion matching the vehicle identified in surveillance footage. Carothers was placed into custody and charged with Robbery, Firearms Not To Be Carried Without A License, Terroristic Threats, and Recklessley Endangering Another Person.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT, RESISTING ARREST:
Justin Pounds, 30, of Ellwood City, is charged with multiple counts and is in Lawrence County Jail after an incident on May 8th. According to a criminal complaint, police were dispatched to a physical altercation on Lawrence Avenue near Dollar General involving a possible weapon and upon arrival detained Pounds who was highly intoxicated and bleeding.  Pounds related he just had a physical altercation with his brother and did not want to press charges. Pounds was released from custody and told to go home but the complaint relates Pounds yelled and threatened officers numerous times and continued to act belligerent as police escorted him to his residence nearby where Pounds kicked in his front door.  When police intervened to make an arrest, Pounds resisted and a struggle ensued with officers. Police discharged a taser and were finally able to place Pounds in handcuffs. Pounds was cleared by the Ellwood City Fire Department of any injuries and transported and lodged in Lawrence County Jail. Pounds is charged with Disorderly Conduct, Terroristic Threats, Resisting Arrest, Aggravated Assault and Public Drunkeness