POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

BAD CHECKS:
According to a criminal complaint, on August 17th, police were notified from the owner of The Store, located on Line Ave, that Laquita Thomas, 28, of New Brighton, cashed her payroll check at his business. He provided a copy of the check that was marked Return (Duplicate Presentment) with a $15.00 fee. This was to do with Ms. Thomas already depositing this check into her account using a mobile device the complaint relates. Police spoke with Thomas at her current employer in October of 2023 about this problem. Thomas agreed to pay the money back to The Store, stating that she was sorry. Police advised that they would give her until November 17th to bring the money to the EDCP. Thomas has yet to do so as of December 14th and has been charged with Bad Checks.

ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE OFFICER:
According to a criminal complaint, on November 27th officers recieved an alert for a warrant of arrest of Kaelie Johnson, 31, of New Castle. At approximately 1:43PM police located Johnsons vehicle parked on Lawrence Ave near Fourth St. Officers approached the vehicle and attempted to speak with Johnson from the drivers side of the vehicle. She was asked repeatedly to shut the vehicle off and that she needed to go with officers to speak with Lawrence County Crises Mental Health. Officers attempted to shut the vehicle ignition off at which time Johnson aggressively accelerated away nearly running over the officer’s feet, knocking him over the complaint relates. She sped through several intersections and eventually stopped on the four lane highway portion of Second St. Upon approach of the vehicle after pursuing, officers issued yet another strand of verbal commands to shut the vehicle off and exit. Johnson refused again and officers then placed her under arrest. Johnson is charged with Fleeing and Eluding Officers and Reckless Driving.

POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITHOUT LICENSE/POSSESSION OF DRUGS:
According to a criminal complaint, and on December 12th, Joseph Sanchez, 30, of New Castle, was placed under arrest at a 7-11 gas station for two active warrants. Sanchez was placed in cuffs and searched. Officers seized a loaded gun and narcotics. Sanchez was charged with Firearms not to be Carried and Narcotics. In a separate criminal complaint, Sanchez was charged with the theft and use of a credit card belonging to a male victim on or around September 7th and 8th.

DUI:
Kaeley Lieberth, 26, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after a traffic incident on November 17th. According to a criminal complaint, at approximately 12:52 a.m., police responded to Crescent Avenue after a caller advised them of a motor vehicle accident. On scene police spoke with the caller and a passenger of a vehicle. The passenger appeared intoxicated and when questioned about the whereabouts of the vehicle he related down the block in a parking lot with his girlfriend driving the report relates. Officers then located the vehicle with heavy side front end damage and found Lieberth sitting in the drivers seat. Lieberth was found to be visibly intoxicated. Police administered a field sobriety for which she failed and she was transported to ECPD and later released to her boyfriend. Lieberth is charged with DUI and Careless Driving

DUI:
Michelle Christie, 56, of Koppel, is charged with DUI after a report of request from NOGA EMS for a female driver passed out in a vehicle off the roadway on November 6th. According to a complaint, police were dispatched to Old Route 18 at approximately 7:50 a.m. to find Christie sitting in the drivers seat of her SUV, which was parked in the grass. Christie walked with EMS to their ambulance and could not coordinate herself to step into the ambulance. She opted to crawl up instead the complaint relates. Police interviewed Christie inside the ambulance and she related that she was driving to work  and fell asleep at the wheel and told police she woke up in the grass. Christie then related that she took her prescription painkiller before leaving for work so it would take effect when she arrived to her job. Police later administered a field sobriety tests for which Christie failed and she was transported to a nearby hospital to have her blood drawn.

DUI:
Steven Sweet, 53, of Ellwood City, is charged with DUI after a traffic stop due to Sweet’s vehicle not having a license plate light. According to the criminal complaint, Police made contact with Sweet and informed him of the reasoning for the traffic stop. Sweet appeared intoxicated and an odor of alcoholic was emanating from the inside of the vehicle. When asked by police Sweet related that he had consumed several beers. Police conducted a standard field sobriety test for which Sweet failed and she was placed was under arrest for DUI. Sweet was then transported to a nearby hospital for blood tests which came back positive for both alcohol and marijuana.

POSSESSION:
Richard Hickman, 53, of Ellwood City is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after an incident on November 29th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 3:20 pm, the HIDTA task force, with the assistance of the Ellwood City police department executed a granted search warrant of Hickman’s residence. Upon knocking and announcing themselves, detectives made entry and took Hickman into custody and after detectives has made sure the residence was secure, Hickman was then searched incident to his arrest and transported to the Ellwood City police department for safekeeping. ECPD K9 Niko was then utilized to conduct a narcotics sweep of the residence. As a result, K9 Niko indicated the presence of narcotics within the residence and detectives seized 5 items
from the home on division avenue that have been transported to the joint operations center for further processing.

HIDTA TASK FORCE OPERATION:
Daniel Stubbs, 59, and Shawn Fuller, 54, both of Ellwood City, were arrested after a HIDTA Task Force operation took place on December 19th at a residence on Sixth Street in Ellwood City. According to a criminal complaint, members of the task force were conducting surveillance at the residence and at approximately 1:40 p.m., observed a known user of controlled substances exit the side door and moved to execute a search warrant. After no one responded to police demands to open the door, forcible entry was made and Fuller was detained in the basement. Stubbs was located on the second floor and taken into custody on an active Beaver County bench warrant. According to the complaint, Fuller had visible knives on himself, including a large knife affixed to his belt as well as one hanging from a rope around his neck. A glass pipe and numerous other knives were found in his pockets according to the complaint. The task force conducted a full search of the residence and found three digital weigh scales, one glass meth pip, and a blue container containing suspected crystal methamphetamine. The report relates the owner of the residence was advised her residence would be placed on the Ellwood City Borough disorderly house list due to the neighborhood narcotics complaints and search warrant at her residence. As a result of the search and evidence seized, both Stubbs and Fuller were each charged with Criminal Conspiracy and Possession of a Controlled Substance.