Police and Fire

Suspicious Man Trying to Lure Kids to Van According to the police report, on October 17 police were dispatched to the area of Division and Fairview Ave. after receiving a call for a suspicious persons complaint. The caller advised the responding officer that after her granddaughter got off the school bus she was approached by a white man with black curly hair and a black beard in a black panel van asking her to come over to the van because he had something he wanted to show her. The juvenile said no to the man but he persisted and the…

DUI’s According to the criminal complaint filed on October 11, Brian Adam Kent, 24, of Ellwood City, is facing charges of driving under the influence and DUI: highest rate of alcohol (BAC .16+) after he was stopped October 4 for erratic driving through Ellwood. The responding officer noticed a strong smell of alcohol emitting from the vehicle and the defendant stated he was drinking that night. Kent failed all the sobriety tests and was taken to the hospital for a blood test which came back positive at .188% blood alcohol level. According to the criminal complaint filed on October 11,…

The Wurtemburg-Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department hosted their annual Fire Prevention Week open house on Wednesday, October 12th, from 6-8PM. Those in attendance had the opportunity to learn and practice “stop, drop, and roll,”  how to use a fire extinguisher, see live fire demonstrations, and tour the fire safety trailer, where they learned fire prevention tips and how to use a bedroom window for a fire escape route. Picture submitted Pictured above, firefighters prepare to extinguish a simulated living room fire as Chief Mark McDevitt [Left] explains the different stages of the fire and Captain Al Leo Jr. [right] demonstrates how a Thermal…

Political Sign War The political-sign war rages on with many Ellwood residents who continue to report that their political signs are being stolen and sometimes even replaced with other political signs- and some perpetrators are getting creative with their schemes. We brought to you a story about a woman who was lured to a fake democratic event just so someone could have the opportunity to replace her “Hillary for President” sign with a Donald Trump sign. According to a recent police report on October 8, a woman who lives on Spring Avenue called the police station to report that three…

Man Faces Several Charges After Parking at McDonalds Brett Paul Ianarelli, 27, of Ellwood City, is facing charges of two counts of driving under the influence, driving without a registration, operating a vehicle without required financial responsibility, operating a vehicle without a valid inspection, and two counts of violation of controlled substance. He was arrested October 2 after officers responded to a call about an unresponsive man who was parked in the McDonald’s parking lot. When officers approached the vehicle they detected a strong smell of alcohol and required Ianarelli to do sobriety tests, which he failed and was taken…

According to reports, three service vehicles were destroyed in a fire that happened last night at the Wampum Fire Department. The fire reportedly started around midnight and continued for several hours after. The cause of the fire is not yet known, however it is speculated that one of the cars may have shorted out, causing the fire. The fire was mainly contained in the station and no injuries were reported. Update: 4 vehicles were destroyed in the fire.

140 mature marijuana plants were confiscated by state police from a property in Little Beaver Township last week. According to reports, the plants were growing among a cornfield and in total are estimated to be worth around a street value of $630,000. Police are still investigating.

Four volunteer fire companies in Beaver and Lawrence counties were recently awarded state grants for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires, according to Senator Elder Vogel. Beaver County grant recipients are: Independence Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, $1,000, and Industry Borough Volunteer Fire Department, $7,500. Lawrence County grant recipients are: New Beaver Borough Volunteer Fire Department, $2,900, and Volant Volunteer Fire Company, $2,767. The grants of up to $7,500 were offered under the program to volunteer fire companies serving rural areas and communities with fewer than 10,000 residents and where forest and brush fires…