Police and Fire

Ellwood City Woman Sentenced to Prison for Probation Violation

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release after the Court found that she violated her probation by committing perjury at a federal trial, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Kacie Zito, 33. According to information presented to the court, on June 12, 2019, at the trial of Taurean Potter, Ms. Zito committed perjury when she denied that Potter provided her cocaine that she later sold. Despite Zito’s false testimony,…


Bernstine to Announce Legislation on Parole Process for Violent Offenders

ELLWOOD CITY – Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) announced today that he will be introducing legislation which focuses on the parole process for violent offenders. This in the wake of the recent murder of a child in Lawrence County. Bernstine will participate in a press conference held at the Lawrence County Government Center, on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. with Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa regarding Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Keith Burley. He is the defendant charged with the murder of a child in Lawrence County. Bernstine’s legislation would postpone consideration of a violent inmate’s parole until an additional 24…


POLICE: Fraudulent $100 Bill Leads To Arrest

A New Castle man was arrested last month after attempted to pass a fraudulent $100 bill at a local gas station. Jaycob Heasley, 18, of New Castle, was arrested on charges of theft by deception, driving under the influence, and driving the wrong way, after police pursued the suspect and conducted a traffic stop shortly after the fraudulent bill was presented in an attempt to purchase a bag of Skittles at Uni-Mart just after midnight on August 16, 2019. Police were dispatched to Uni-Mart and given a description of the suspect who had left in a sedan with a female…


Local Man Charged With Terroristic Threats

On Wednesday, July 31, the Ellwood City Police received a call from a home on Franklin Avenue from a woman who said there was a situation that needed their attention. The woman informed the police that there was a man wearing a black shirt and black shorts walking on Franklin Avenue. She further told police that he had a bag with him and was armed with a knife. According to police reports, the man in question was David Carter of Ellwood City. Carter was armed with a small pocket knife and a small axe. Police placed Carter into custody before…


VIDEO: North Sewickley Twp. Father Fatally Shot Daughter’s Boyfriend

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a North Sewickley Township father fatally shot his daughter’s boyfriend because he believed he had gotten her “hooked on drugs.” Michael D’Bagio, 41, of Sanger Drive, is charged homicide and aggravated assault after fatally shooting an Ellwood City teenager, 17-year-old Darren Jevcak, after a confrontation outside of Jevcak’s employer in New Castle. According to a criminal complaint, D’Bagio shot Jevack five or six times. When Jevcak came outside, Dbagio shot him in the arm. He said the teenager went down to the ground and then went over and shot him in the head….


Six Neglected Dogs Rescued From Ellwood City Home

According to criminal complaints, in January, Humane Officers arrived at a home on 13th Street due to a humane complaint regarding several dogs that were tied outside and being neglected. At approximately 8:00 p.m. officers made contact with homeowner Andrew Johnson, 32, and later the owner of the dogs Joanne Johnson, 54, both of 412 13th Street, Ellwood City. In Johnson’s backyard, six dogs were tied up outside in the freezing weather and were without proper shelter, food, or water. In other words, the dogs were being neglected. Andrew Johnson had advised the reporting officer that a dog named Otis,…


PHOTOS: Vehicle Crash Leads To Catastrophic Damages To Building

In one way or another, people have dreamed about doing the stunts the professional drivers do in the Fast and Furious movies. However, those same people don’t always put effort into following said dreams, unless an outside force happens to butt in. On Sunday, at approximately 10:44pm, Christian Sarver, 25, of Ellwood City was driving east on Route 488 entering Ellport Borough.  Sarver attempted to negotiate a bend at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his 2013 Ford F150. According to a police report, Sarver ran off to the right side of the road and went…


Lagoon, Koscinski Hired as Armed Police Officers for Ellwood City Schools

The Ellwood City Area School Board hired two armed school police officers for the 2019-2020 school year. Robert Lagoon of Zelienople and Brad Koscinski of Grove City were announced as the first armed officers who will serve the school district thanks to a $156,400 grant provided by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant will allow the district to employ the two officers for two years. A unanimous vote by the board to hire the men was followed with praise from one board member. “I’d like to thank Mr. Mancini and Mr. Sovich for seeing that we were…


Ellwood City Man Convicted on Federal Drug Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA – After deliberating for two hours, a federal jury of seven men and five women found Taurean Potter guilty of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and one count of Distribution of Cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Potter, age 33, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania was tried before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Yvonne Saadi, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Potter sold cocaine out of Ellwood City bars in 2017 and 2018, and…


Ellwood City Felon Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing Pistols and Ammunition

PITTSBURGH -A felon from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced Friday. Derick Davare, 32, pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around 2015, and continuing to on or about October 22, 2018, Davare conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Additionally, on or about October 22, 2018,…