POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT:
Paula Schwartz, 39, of Ellwood City, is charged with Theft after an incident reported on September 18th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 3:00 p.m., the owner of Uni-Mart reported a theft that occurred at his business and advised police that his employee, Schwartz, stole money out of the cash drawer and five cartons of cigarettes overnight. Police reviewed surveillance and paperwork from the store that cooperated with the owners report.  Police contact Schwartz at her residence and spoke with Schwartz who related she was dealing with a mental health episode and later admitted to the theft.

THEFT BY DECEPTION:
Tyler Good, 35, of Ellwood City, is charged with Theft by Deception and Home Improvement Fraud after an incident reported in July 2024. According to a criminal complaint, and on or about June 4, 2024, Good made a purchase from 422 Landscaping for building materials valued at $5,483.55 to be delivered to a residence on Renlee Avenue, Ellwood City, and that Good would pay for the materials upon delivery. At time of delivery the credit card was no good for payment and the business owner later attempted to contact Good several times to collect payment.  The complaint later relates that Good advised police that he has some issues arising and that he is in the process of getting money together for payment, but police advised Good that just because he pays the owner back that Criminal charges would not be filed.  Police continued to contact Good unsuccessfully and the landscaping business owner also had not heard back from Good on payment. According to the complaint, the affiant believes that Good did intentionally pay for the merchandise with an invalid credit card, knowing that the transaction would not go through.

POSSESSION:
April Squires, 42, of Ellwood City, is charged with Possession after an incident on September 3rd at approximately 12:21PM. According to a criminal complaint, police received a phone call about two individuals arguing near railroad tracks nearest Sixth Street in Ellwood City. Police reached the scene and observed Squires and Edward Lauraine setting up a homeless camp, which police advised they could not do. While speaking with the two individuals, officers noticed Squires holding two pieces of burnt aluminum. Officers searched Squires and found what they suspected to be methamphetamine. Officers advised Squires that she would receive the charges in the mail according to the complaint.

FATAL HIT-AND-RUN:
Shawn Pounds, 34, formerly of Ellwood City, was killed in a pedestrian vs. vehicle incident Sunday, September 15th at the King’s Motel on McCartney Road, Lowellville, Ohio.  The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office news release stated that the coroner’s office was notified of Pounds’ death at 11:34 p.m. and responded to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to investigate. An autopsy was conducted, and the incident leading to Pounds’ death remains under investigation by the coroner’s office and the Coitsville Police Department, a news release states. Coitsville police Chief Michael Morris said that the incident involved Pounds being fatally injured by a pickup truck about 9:30 p.m on September 15th. No one is charged in the case. The investigation is still trying to determine whether a woman ran Pounds over or whether Pounds may have grabbed onto or jumped onto the truck, the news release states. Pounds and the woman had been in a relationship for about eight years, the chief said.  The police department is still trying to determine whether the woman was being held against her will at the time, as the woman alleged, Morris said.

DUI:
Maverick Marciante, 24, of New Castle, is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on July 15th.. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 9:58 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Marciante on Bridge Street and they observed a strong smell of marijuana. When questioned about it, Marciante stated that he had smoked that morning the report relates. Police asked him to exit the vehicle, and conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test which he failed. Marciante was then taken into custody and then transported to a local hospital.

DUI:
John Wimer, 41, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on July 8th at approximately 9:47 a.m. According from a criminal complaint, police conducted a traffic stop on Wimer due to his reckless and erratic driving as he made abrupt turns onto Bridge Street and another onto an alleyway. When asked for his license and registration and proof of insurance, Wimer informed officers that he did not have any of those. Officers asked Wimer to leave the car and was searched. Police found several pills and had Wimer conduct a standard field sobriety test for which he failed. Wimer was then placed in custody and transported to a nearby hospital according to the complaint.

DUI:
Ellen Hardy, 38, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on August 11th at approximately 1:03 a.m. According to a criminal complaint, police conducted a traffic stop on Hardy on Wampum Avenue, Wayne Township for a covered registration plate and burnt out taillight. When police approached the vehicle they observed a burnt marijuana smell and observed Hardy to have dilated and glassy eyes. Police asked Hardy to conduct a Standard Field Sobriety Test for which she failed. Hardy was taken into custody and transported to a nearby hospital for bloodwork.

DUI:
David Groncki, 50, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on July 20th at approximately 2:49 a.m.. According to a criminal complaint, Groncki drove into an active car crash scene on Route 65 Ellwood Road in Slippery Rock Township and when police stopped him and informed him of this, he denied and said he didn’t believe them. Groncki then admitted he had had several drinks and was subjected to a field sobriety test for which he failed. Police placed Groncki under arrest for DUI.

DUI:
Brent Burns, 49, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on August 31st. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 8:09 a.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Burns due to reckless driving near Wampum and Todd Avenues in Ellwood City. Police observed Burns’ eyes to be glassy and asked him to conduct a Standard Field Sobriety Test which he failed. He was placed into custody and transferred to a nearby hospital. His bloodwork revealed him to have ingested methamphetamine.

DUI:
John Powell, 82, of Wampum is charged with DUI and reckless driving after an incident occurring on August 8th.  According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 11:11 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Powell on Wampum-New Galilee Road after noticing a vehicle cross a center line.  When police approach Powell they observed him to be overly confused with bloodshot eyes. They conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test which Powell failed and he was taken into custody and transferred to a nearby hospital.

DRUG TRAFFICKING & FIREARMS:
Donald Jeter, 34, of New Castle, has been sentenced in federal court to 110 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced this week. Judge Schwab also ordered Jeter to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Jeter previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022, and to possessing a firearm on August 10, 2022, after a felony conviction. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jeter.