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Claysville woman facing endangerment charges

2 min read

A Claysville woman was arrested and her boyfriend placed in jail on an outstanding warrant stemming from a traffic stop early Thursday by Donegal Township police.

Melinda Lee Quick, 27, of 138 Main St., and Marquise White, 32, who had been staying with Quick, had been the topic of complaints by residents in the area since May, said township police Sgt. Ronald L. Catrain Jr.

Catrain was monitoring traffic on Old National Pike near the on-ramp to Interstate 70 east about 12:30 a.m. when he spotted a vehicle with an expired registration get on the highway. He followed the vehicle and stopped it near the Buffalo Township line.

The driver identified himself as 29-year-old Jamel Jay McCrea. Quick was the passenger. Because of the ongoing investigation into drug activity near Quick’s apartment, Catrain said he knew that was not the driver’s correct identity. Quick also told police the driver’s name was Jamel McCrea. The two were taken to the state police barracks where a fingerprint scan was done, indicating the driver was White and wanted in Allegheny County on warrants for escape and parole violations.

Quick was told of the ongoing investigation regarding narcotics activity at the apartment the two were sharing. Quick gave police permission to search her apartment.

Police arrived at the apartment and found that Quick’s daughters, ages 7 months and 2, had been left home alone all night. Quick claimed they were left with a neighbor. Inside the apartment, less than 1,000 feet from Claysville Elementary School, were 34 stamp bags of suspected heroin, a needle, a used stamp bag, rolling paper and two marijuana roaches. She claimed that none of the items belonged to her.

Quick was arrested Monday after admitting to police she lied about who owned the items found in the search. She was arraigned Monday before District Judge Ethan Ward on charges of hindering apprehension, possession with intent to deliver heroin in a school zone, endangering the welfare of children, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and giving false information to police.

White was placed in Washington County jail on the Allegheny County warrant. He was later transferred to Allegheny County jail. Catrain plans to file drug and endangerment charges against him later this week at Ward’s office.

A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 12 before Ward.

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