Recent Stories

Police and Fire

September 25, 2019

Portersville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Portersville, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Raymond Chrzanowski, age 51, pleaded guilty to three counts before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the GBK street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West…

September 24, 2019

POLICE REPORTS: Several Traffic Stops Lead To Various Violations; Reckless Driving; Assault

According to a criminal complaint, on September 16 at approximately 9:00 am, in a routine patrol, Ellwood City policeman observed old Jason Santellan, 40, of Ellwood City, walking east on Crescent Avenue near Cherry Way. After confirming an active bench warrant for Mr. Santellan, police made contact with Santellan. Police asked Santellan if he had anything on him at which time Santellan provided police with a black box that he stated contained a ‘dab.’ Police took Santellan into custody on the warrant. A search later found one needle in Santellan’s back pocket. The suspect was arrested and charged with use/possession…

September 16, 2019

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,…

September 11, 2019

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…

September 5, 2019

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…

August 5, 2019

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…

July 25, 2019

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….

July 25, 2019

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,…

July 11, 2019

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…

July 10, 2019

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…