POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

BURGLARY:
Katyln Kelosky, 34, of Ellwood City, is charged with Burglary and Criminal Trespassing after an incident on May 12th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 12:52 p.m., police were dispatched to a Dollar General, at Woodside Avenue, Wayne Township for a reported theft. Police made contact with the store manager who related that Kelosky had been entering the store when no one should be present and taking money from the safe. Surveillance footage confirm Kelosky as the perpetrator and further footage was able to confirm five dates where Kelosky entered the store and removed cash and drinks with the earliest theft reported at April 24th with $105.00 missing from the safe. In total, six dates were reported with theft totals over $1,600.00. The most recent theft, reported on May 9th at approximately 4:15 a.m. was in the amount of $360.00 taken from the safe. Since the last occurrance, Kelosky was taken off the schedule and locks and codes switched. Since that time, no further cash has been missing.

HARRASSMENT:
Steven Ramsey, 37, of Butler, is charged with Harassment after an incident on May 12th. According to a police report, and at approximately 4:30 p.m., PA State police investigated the report of an active domestic violence involving a knife in near the 500 block of Portersville Road, Perry Township. On scene, a 37-year-old female victim from Ellwood City reported that her partner, Ramsey, held a knife in his hand threatening harm to himself as the couple argued. The report indicates Ramsey then took the victim’s phone and smashed it causing disabling damage. Ramsey then fled the scene prior to police arrival. Charges through MDJ 53-3-01 against Ramsey have been filed.

USE/POSSESSION:
Timothy Myers, 41, of Ellwood City is charged with Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after an incident on May 19th at the Ellwood City Sheetz. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 4:05 a.m., a store security called police to advise there was a male sitting in an SUV in the parking lot, passed out behind the wheel. When police arrived on scene, they noticed an open can of beer sitting in the center console and a clear glass pipe used for smoking meth. After police were able to awaken the the driver, Myers, he related he was waiting for his cousin. After police asked Myers to exit the vehicle to speak to him, Myers opened the door and police noticed several small yellow plastic bags used for packing meth or heroin. Police asked and were given consent to search the vehicle where police found a small blue and white rubber container with suspected meth in it, a black plastic container with suspected heroin in it, a tan grinder, two cans of butane, and a black marijuana pipe. Myers was told he would be receiving charges and was taken to his residence by ECPD.

USE/POSSESSION:
Alyssa Kauffman, 29, of Edinburg, is charged with Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after an incident on May 14th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:33 a.m., police were dispatched to a suspicious female at a Sheetz gas station on US-422, Slippery Rock Township. Upon arrival, police observed a white female matching the description pacing outside the store on the phone. A store employee related to police that the female has been making customers feel uncomfortable and coming in and out of the store. Contact was made with the female, identified as Kauffman, and found her with three separate bags and who related there was probably a pip inside her bag. A consent search of the purse located a paper fold containing a gray powdery substance suspected as heroin. A search of Kaufman located a glass smoking device containing suspected trace amounts of crack cocaine. It is requested Kauffman be ordered to appear before the court for the charges.

USE/POSSESSION:
Louis Ferrante, 20, of Wampum, is charged with Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Reckless Driving, and Driving Without a License after a traffic stop on April 3rd. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately, 11:07 p.m., police while on patrol observed a silver BMV traveling with its rear window illegally tinted. Police conducted a traffic stop on 4th Avenue in Ellwood City and Ferrante to be under the influence along with a strong odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle. Ferrante was found to have his drivers license suspended and, when asked, admitted their was marijuana inside the vehicle and that he smoked earlier that morning. Police conducted a field sobriety test for which he failed. Ferrante consented to a search of the vehicle where police found a baggie containing loose marijuana and a glass smoking pipe. Ferrante was placed into custody without incident, processed and released.

FLEEING FROM POLICE:
Alex Oppod, 32, of New Castle, is charged with several counts including DUI and Fleeing From Police after an incident and ensuing accident on May 8th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 8:21 a.m., police while on patrol located a 2012 Nissan Altima with illegal window tinting fail to come to a complete stop at an intersection on SR-168. Police activated their emergency lights and siren, but the Appod proceeded to accelerate and elude police. The report relates that during the pursuit of Appod he was paced traveling at 110+ MPH as he traveled southbound on SR-18 in Wampum Borough. According to the complaint, it was at SR-18 southbound at its intersection with Fairland Blvd (SR-351) in Koppel that the defendant did cross into oncoming traffic traveling the wrong way against traffic. The Altima later attempted to turn left and was unable to negotiate the turn, first striking a center concrete median, then a concrete sidewalk and continued off the roadway striking an embankment near a train track where the unit became disabled. The driver, Appod, was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance. Appod, along with a female passenger from New Castle, were both found not to be properly restrained and sustained suspected minor injuries. Appod was found to have a suspended drivers license and multiple warrants out of multiple townships with felony warrants. While Appod was being transported from the scene of the accident he related there was heroin in a green capsule in the vehicle, possibly a little bit of crack in a cigarette pack and multiple items of paraphernalia in the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, police found and confirmed said drug and drug paraphernalia items.

source: Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office Facebook.com Page

HIDTA OPERATION #137:
On May 18, 2023, Detectives from the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office HIDTA Task Force executed a sealed search warrant at 412 Norwood Avenue, New Castle, Pennsylvania. During the search of the residence detectives seized 145.5 grams of suspected Fentanyl, 3.7 grams of suspected Heroin, 1.9 grams of suspected pink Fentanyl; 51.8 grams of suspected cocaine, 1.3 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 6.2 grams of suspected marijuana, and $2,125 in U.S. currency. Taken into custody during the search were two targets: Mr. Omarreon Beason and Mr. Michael Schmidt, Sr. Both suspects were lodged in the Lawrence County Jail on Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charges.

DUI:
Billy Haswell, 33, of Ellwood City, is charged with DUI and Careless Driving after a traffic stop on April 11th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 9:11 a.m., police observed a white Chevy Truck traveling with illegal window tinting and conducted a traffic stop on Wampum Avenue near Bridge Street in Ellwood City. Police found Haswell to be under the influence, with blood shot and glassy eyes along with erratic and nervous movements. Police conducted a field sobriety test for which Haswell failed and he was taken into custody and transported to a nearby hospital.

TRESPASSING:
On May 8th at approximately 6:19 p.m., PA State Police responded to a report of trespassing in the area of 3100 block, Chewton Wurtemburg Road, Wayne Township. Two ATVs were driving on land that was properly marked for no trespassing by both signs and purple paint. No charges have been filed. Any ATV rider must get prior authorization before riding on private property.

HIT AND RUN:
On May 12th at approximately 4:15 p.m., PA State Police were dispatched to a report of a hit-and-run accident near the 1200 block of Wurtemburg Road, Wayne Township. On scene, it was found that an unknown vehicle had veered off the roadway and crashed into a mailbox. According to the report, the crash caused damage to the mailbox post and that the unknown vehicle then drove away. Fragments from a rear taillight were located on scene. An investigation is ongoing.

DOMESTIC:
On May 11th at approximately 6:04 p.m., PA State Police responded to the 1100 block of Wampum New Galilee Road, New Beaver Borough, for a reported threat. According to the release report, and upon arrival, it was determined that a verbal argument ensued between family members that became escalated and threats were made against each other. No charges are to be filed in this incident.

HIT AND RUN:
A Koppel man is facing charges after police said he hit a home with his truck, drove through a garage and fled the scene in Beaver County on Monday. According to a published report, police said when they got to Green Street for a hit-and-run they found a collapsed porch roof, broken fence and detached chain link fence. The carport was driven through and the two riding mowers inside were damaged. The report related that witnesses at the scene identified the driver as Daniel Hays of Darlington Township. Police said they also found a resident on Second Avenue who caught the pickup truck on their Ring doorbell camera. Later that day, police on patrol found the suspect’s truck in the parking lot near Koppel Auto Services. The vehicle was impounded and police said a search turned up a wallet with Hays’ operator license. Hays turned himself in to police and is facing multiple charges, including risking catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, accidents involving damage to attended vehicle or property and careless driving. He was arraigned and placed in the Beaver County Jail on $10,000 bond.

ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT:
On May 12th at approximately 11:36 a.m., it was reported a crash occurred on the 4200 block of Ellwood Road, just north of Hogue Road, Slippery Rock Township. According to the report. a Toyota Carolla was traveling south on Ellwood Road when the operator came over a hill to find traffic was stopped. The driver applied brakes, turning the wheels to the left, and struck an embankment on the left side of the road. The 48-year-old female driver from Edinburg was property wearing a seat belt and related she had no injuries. The car was towed from the scene.