Police beat March 8
Disorderly charge: Michael Russell, 54, of 34 Loffert Road, McDonald, was charged by McDonald police with disorderly conduct after he allegedly caused a disturbance March 1 inside McDonald’s, 1412-B Main St., Burgettstown, during an argument with his estranged wife.
Theft, drug charges: Marquis McWhorter, 20, of Collingdale, Delaware County, was arraigned Friday before District Judge Joshua Kanalis on charges filed in two cases, one by California University of Pennsylvania police and the other by California police. Borough police charged him with false identification to police, possession of marijuana and underage drinking stemming from an Oct. 24 incident at Wood and Second streets. University police charged him with theft of mislaid property and receiving stolen property after he allegedly stole a tablet, tablet keyboard, Nintendo system and games from a person at the Natali Student Center on Oct. 28. He was placed in Washington County Jail on $2,000 bond.
Warrant arrest: Justin Barfield, 28, of 220 Burton Ave., Washington, was arrested early Monday by Canonsburg police after they determined he was wanted on five warrants, including one on a charge of simple assault filed by Washington police and a drunken driving charge filed by state police. Police arrested Barfield after being called about 1 a.m. to have him removed from D’s Locker Room, 26 N. Jefferson Ave. He was placed in Washington County jail on the warrants.
Drug charges: Patrick Eichner, 24, of Carnegie, faces drug charges after police said he was found with a stamp bag of suspected heroin in his vehicle during a traffic stop on West Pike Street on Saturday. Canonsburg police put him in Washington County jail on an Allegheny County bench warrant. Police said that while Eichner was being processed at the jail, six additional stamp bags were found on him. Police plan to charge him with possession of heroin.
Rock thrown: Cody Elizabeth Hickton of Oakbrook Drive, Canonsburg, told police Friday a heavy-set white teenage boy and two thin black teenage boys were in a group from which someone tossed a rock that struck the windshield of her vehicle as she drove in the 800 block of First Street. The boys then ran up Franklin Avenue.
Gun charges: Shawn D. Myers, 32, of 302 Rear Shady Ave., Charleroi, is charged by Charleroi Regional police in a summons with illegal possession of firearms, court records show. Police seized a rifle and shotgun from Myers while investigating a broken window at his residence about 7 p.m. March 1 and discovering there is an active protection-from-abuse order against him that prohibits him from having guns.
Firearm violations alleged: Kenneth Lamont Pone, 33, of 501 McKean Ave., Donora, was arrested early Saturday on charges of persons not to possess firearms and carrying a firearm without a license stemming from a traffic stop on Third Street. Pone was a passenger in the vehicle when it was stopped, and police said they spotted a handgun on the seat next to him. He was arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald and placed in Washington County jail on $15,000 bond.
Assault arrest: James John Czegan, 47, of 29 Willow St., Fredericktown, was arraigned Friday before District Judge Joshua Kanalis on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct after he allegedly punched Jeffrey Jackson during a Feb. 10 confrontation in a vehicle on Main Street in Clarksville. Czegan was released from Washington County Jail Monday after posting $2,500 bond.
Theft arrest: Kevin A. Lindner, 44, of Pittsburgh, was arrested early Saturday by state police after police received a call that a man was trying to break into vending machines behind Day’s Inn, West Chestnut Street, North Franklin, with a pry bar. When the clerk confronted the suspected thief, he got into a vehicle fled onto West Chestnut Street. Police later spotted a vehicle that matched the clerk’s description traveling on Interstate 70 at a high speed with no lights on. The vehicle stopped, Lindner got out and the vehicle left. Lindner was taken into custody. Police said a tire iron was found on the ground near him. Lindner was arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald on charges of possessing instruments of a crime, theft, hindering apprehension, attempted theft and criminal mischief. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bond.
Retail theft charges: Christopher James Wall, 33, of 375 N. Wade Ave., Washington, faces two charges of retail theft and a charge of possessing an instrument of crime for a Friday incident at Macy’s in which he allegedly attempted to break into a jewelry case and cut security tags off clothing, North Franklin police said.
Retail theft charge: Timothy James Surich, 34, of 118. N. Haft St., Houston, faces a single count of retail theft charge in connection with an incident Thursday at an undisclosed department store in Washington Crown Center. Township police said he cut security tags off multiple items of clothing.
Criminal mischief: Police said someone turned over a portable toilet Saturday in the parking lot of Montour Trail. A similar incident was reported Sunday in Peters Lake Park.
Drug charges: During a routine traffic stop Saturday at the intersection of Washington Road and Circle Drive in McMurray, police said they noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from a vehicle driven by Kevin Lerda, 21, of Glenshannon Drive, Pittsburgh. Lerda will be charged by summons with intent to use and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.
Mischief, loitering charge: Phillip Tominello, 54, of 119 Elks Place, Belle Vernon, was charged Monday by Rostraver police with loitering and prowling at night, criminal mischief and criminal trespass stemming from a Feb. 28 incident at 1248 Broad Ave. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Joseph Dalfonso.
Drug charges: Christine Marie Martin, 46, of 800 E. Beau St., South Strabane Township, was charged Monday by Rostraver police with possession of oxycodone and driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance stemming from a March 3 incident in the parking lot of Wendy’s on Route 201. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Charles Christner.
Theft, false ID charges: Rogelio Carrillo, 26, of 434 Oakland Ave., Charleroi, was charged Monday by Rostraver police with retail theft, possessing instruments of a crime and false identification to police stemming from a March 1 incident at Walmart, 100 Sara Way. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jospeh Dalfonso.
Theft case: Gregory A. Sokol, 29 of 215 Ohio St., Pricedale, is charged by township police with six counts of theft and three counts of receiving stolen property. Sokol is accused of stealing $6,265 worth of tools from Allied Mechanical Contractors Inc., 521 Fayette St., while he was employed by the company between July 27 and September 25, court records show. He waived his case to Westmoreland County Court Monday before District Judge Charles Christner.
Stolen vehicle crashes: South Strabane police said a vehicle that crashed early Saturday at the intersection of North Main Street and Maple Avenue was reported stolen five minutes after the wreck by the owner, Steven Murphy II of 1715 Morris St., Washington. Murphy denied driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, telling police that he left the vehicle running while he went inside the Trio Lounge, North Main Street, for about 10 minutes. He told police that when he came back out, the vehicle was gone. Police are continuing their investigation.
Theft charges: Lee Ann Lustic, 59, of 188 Barnett St., Washington, will be charged by South Strabane police with two counts of retail theft and one count of theft by deception. Police were called Wednesday to Kohl’s, Strabane Square, after Lustic allegedly was spotted by security removing two items from the shelves and exchanging them for cash using old receipts. She then allegedly switched tags on a purse and shoes in order to purchase them for a lesser amount. The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jay Weller.
Televisions stolen: Noelle Catlin, who lives in the 700 block of Broad Street, told Washington police Sunday the front door of her home was forced open and two television sets, still in boxes, were stolen. The televisions were valued at $1,100.
DUI alleged in crash: Chad M. McCauley, 25, of 626 E. Beau St., Washington, will be charged by Washington police with driving under the influence of alcohol after officers said they found his vehicle crashed into a utility pole early Sunday near the intersection of East Maiden Street and South Wade Avenue. Police said they found him barefoot in a bay of a nearby car wash, talking on his cellphone. Police said they also found an empty 12-pack of hard iced tea in his vehicle, along with another seven bottles that had been consumed from a second 12-pack. Police said his blood-alcohol content was almost 2½ times the 0.08 percent legal limit.
Man faces charges: Fred Gertler, 69, of 240 N. College St., Washington, faces charges to be filed by Washington police stemming from separate incidents over the weekend. Gertler will be charged with retail theft for allegedly stealing items from Walgreens, Jefferson Avenue, on Saturday. He will be charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after police say he was found Sunday near a door at the Plaza Building, 150 W. Beau St., with a bloody face. Gertler reportedly told police he did not think he was assaulted, but believed he was injured in a fall. He was taken to Washington Hospital for treatment.
Countertop, sink stolen: April Goudy of Washington told Washington police Saturday a countertop with a sink was stolen from a house in the 300 block of Grove Avenue. The thief forced open a boarded window.
Brick thrown: Cheryl Gannon of 1187 Maple Terrace told Washington police Saturday a brick was thrown through a window at her residence.
Woman assaulted: Stephanie Grayson, 30, of 1007 Sycamore Ave., told Washington police she was assaulted by a 25-year-old man inside her home Saturday. He reportedly grabbed her, pushed her down on a bed, punched her and choked her. Police said Grayson’s 13-year-old daughter threw a candle jar at her mother’s attacker, hitting him in the head. He then reportedly threw the girl to the floor before running from the home. Police plan to charge him with aggravated assault.
Tires slashed: Roy Hill of 2172 The Circle, Canton Township, told Washington police two tires on his vehicle were slashed while he was at a business on McCarrell Avenue on Friday.