POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

ASSAULT:
Lawrence Morini, 22, of Wampum, is charged with Simple Assault after an incident occurring on September 28th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 10:58 p.m. ECPD Officers were dispatched to a nearby bar for reports of an assault that occurred. When police arrived, ECFD was conducting CPR on the victim and witnesses explained the situation to officers. The owner of the bar was contacted and showed ECPD Police video footage of the incident. According to the complaint the victim had been causing problems at the bar and was asked to leave. When the victim was leaving he turned around and flipped everyone off at the door at which time the victim’s girlfriend and another female patron started another altercation outside. According to the complaint, Morini then ran outside pushing past everyone and began to punch the victim in the head multiple times causing the victim to fall backwards off of the porch and hitting his head off the ground. Morini and his girlfriend both fled the scene. Charges are filed including Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Harassment, and Disorderly Conduct.

RECIEVING STOLEN PROPERTY:
Brett Charlier, 33, of Ellwood City, is charged with receiving stolen property after a traffic stop occurring on September 30th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 2:47 a.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on Charlier due to his license being suspended. When police ran the plates, they came back for a different car, and when they asked Charlier about the plates he told officers he “didn’t know where it came from.” He stated that the plate was given to him because someone stole his and someone gave him the plate on the car now so that he could get around. Officers asked if he had anything on him that would get him in trouble, which Charlier advised that he had paraphernalia in a cigarette box. He emptied the his pockets onto the hood of the cop car and those items were collected. He was held and police located the owner of the stolen plate who asked for charges to be files according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
John Wimer, 31, of Ellwood City, is charged with DUI after a traffic stop occurring on July 8th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 9:47 a.m., police stopped Wimer due to his vehicle turning on a turn signal as he was turning, and not 100ft before his turn. When officers asked Wimer for his license and registration he advised he had neither, to which officers asked him to step out of the vehicle. Officers then preformed a pat down of Wimer and found a silver pill container with various pills inside according to the complaint. Officers then asked Wimer if they could search the car to which he agreed. The search yielded a white metal container, and prescription pills. A Standard Field Sobriety Test was conducted and officers observed Wimer to be impaired. Wimer was taken into custody and was transported to a nearby hospital for blood work, according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
Marc Boots, 54, of New Castle, is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on August 30th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 3:59 p.m., officers responded to a hit and run motor vehicle accident on US Route 422 near Mt. Herman Church Road, Slippery Rock Township. Upon arrival, police spoke to the driver of UNIT 2 and the Slippery Rock Township Fire Department who then related that the driver of UNIT 1 had been located at his residence. Upon speaking with Boots, police observed an open container of beer in the back of ATV unit, a red quad, and an unopened container in the cupholder near the handle bars the report relates. Police asked if Boots had anything to drink before the crash, to which he advised “yes.” Police asked Boots if he had anything when he arrived home, to which he advised “yes, sir.” Due to Boots being disabled, and sustaining injuries from the crash, he was not subject to a Standard Field Sobriety Test, but was subject to a portable breath test. Boots was taken into custody for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also then transported to a nearby hospital according to the complaint.

HIDTA OPERATIN “INHUMANE SERVICES”
On Friday, October 11, 2024, detectives from the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office HIDTA Drug Task Force in conjunction with New Castle City Narcotics, Ellwood City Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General executed a sealed search warrant at the Lawrence County Human Services Building, Apartment 11, 20 East North Street, New Castle, PA. Mr. Thomas Funk, the occupant, was arrested after a search of the residence revealed the presence of suspected crack cocaine, fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a .32 caliber revolver. Mr. Funk is a convicted felon and by law is not permitted to be in possession of a firearm. He was charged with the following offenses: Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (4 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Persons Not to Possess a Firearm. He was lodged in the Lawrence County Jail.