Police and Fire

Police confirmed that an overdose death in February was caused by fentanyl-laced heroin. Since December, there have been five overdose deaths in the Ellwood Borough. One in December was from opiates, probably oxycodone. In addition to the laced-heroin, another overdose in February was from pharmaceuticals. Also in February, an overdose in North Sewickley Township was caused by a fentanyl patch. The cause of the two overdoses in April are still pending lab results. Lt. David Kingston, ranking police officer, said that overdoses from fentanyl have occurred in Ellwood before, but fentanyl-laced heroin is rare to the area. “Opiates aren’t as…

Did you notice the Koppel bridge stop sign changed? If you didn’t, don’t feel bad. According to North Sewickley Police Chief Jeff Becze, drivers have had a hard time adjusting to the revised sign. The North Sewickley Police Department has been forgiving of offending drivers for now as people acclimate to the change. However, Becze said that will soon change and citations will be issued for violations. The intersection is at Route 351 and River Road, near the Koppel Bridge. Formerly, the stop sign only applied to traffic driving straight on River Road. Drivers turning right on 351 toward the…

Ellwood City Police were led by an anonymous tip to a house in the North Side neighborhood on Thursday leading to the arrest of two residents who were operating an “extremely dangerous and fully functional” methamphetamine laboratory inside a home. Reports said the house had no electricity and was later found to have lanterns and large amounts of kerosene inside. Richard Brian Lumley, 43, of 332 Orchard Ave. and Timothy Bill Locke, 32, of 4446 Hollow Road, Wayne Township were arrested and arraigned on charges related to operating a meth lab. After the search and arrest of the suspects, police…