Great moments in small town crime, Grange Fair edition

From today's Centre Daily Times:

Man charged in theft from Grange Fair ice cream stand

12:01am on Oct 14, 2011; Modified: 12:09pm on Oct 14, 2011

BELLEFONTE — State police have charged a Mifflin County man with theft after they said he took $104 from an open cash register drawer at an ice cream stand during the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair in August.

Police said Kevin W. Green, 57, of Reedsville, drove by the ice cream stand Aug. 29 on his motor scooter, saw the cash register drawer was open and that the stand’s owner was attending to someone. Police said Green reached over the counter, took the money and started to drive away on the scooter.

A vendor nearby saw Green take the money and put it in his pocket, police said. When the vendor yelled for Green to stop, he did, and he returned the money to the stand’s owner.

Green waived his right to a preliminary hearing on misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. He was released on his own recognizance.

Of all the gas stations, in all the towns, in all the world, he walks into his own. . . .

From the Centre Daily Times:

Port Matilda man pleads guilty to robbing former employer

Posted: 5:09pm on Sep 22, 2011

A Port Matilda man pleaded guilty this week to using a knife to rob a Patton Township gas station where he used to work.

Caleb M. Black, 19, entered his plea before Judge Bradley P. Lunsford on Tuesday. Black is scheduled for a pre-sentence investigation on Oct. 11.

Township police said Black robbed the Sheetz at 1781 N. Atherton St., State College, around 3 a.m. May 28. Police said he was wearing dark-colored clothes and had a dark bandana over his face when demanded money and displayed a knife from the clerk.

That clerk told police she recognized Black but thought he was joking until he showed her a knife, according to the affidavit filed by township police.

Police said they located him soon after in the wooded area between Walmart and Woodycrest Street. He admitted to the robbery, telling police he needed the money for “everyday things,” police said.

How could anyone take offense to a stuffed pig? They're so cute

From today's Centre Daily Times:

Stuffed pig reportedly sparks fight in State College

Posted: 12:03am on Sep 4, 2011

 

A 20-year-old man told State College police he was jumped by other men because they took offense to him carrying a large stuffed pig at 2:45 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the man suffered a laceration from a fight, which happened at University Drive and East Foster Avenue.

Police said the man carrying the stuffed pig had been drinking.

Exclusive! Only in the CDT!

I turn to the Centre Daily Times website this morning, the source of all news about Penn State sports, to read about yesterday's football game.  And there it is, of course, the lead story on the homepage is about the game.  So I click on the link, and here's what I saw:

In case you can't read it, it says, "Unfortunately, we are unable to locate the page you have requested. This could be due to content on our site having expired, a broken link, an outdated bookmark, or a mistyped address. Please use the site map provided on this page."

Nice job, guys.  You can't even manage to have a working link for the one story everyone's going to want to read this morning, the lead story on your website.  I'm sure by the time many of you try it, it will have been repaired, but trust me - it wasn't working at 8:30 in the morning.

"You ate more than I did." "No, I didn't." "Yes you did." "No I didn't, asshole." SMACK

From today's Centre Daily Times:

Hot wings spark heated debate, altercation

By CDT staff reports

Posted: 12:01am on Sep 1, 2011; Modified: 6:16am on Sep 1, 2011

A man is being accused of harassment after an argument over hot wings.

Shawn Stevenson, of Philipsburg, is accused of poking Rick Schreffler, also of Philipsburg, in the eye and pushing him on the back of the head Tuesday at 11:11 p.m., at 211A N. Centre St. in Philipsburg.

Charges of harassment have been filed against Stevenson.

Call the HazMat team! Call the HazMat team!

From the Centre Daily Times:

PSU freshman to be cited for sex

By CDT staff reports — State College - Centre Daily Times

Posted: 8:41am on Aug 30, 2011; Modified: 11:29am on Aug 30, 2011

A Penn State female freshman will be cited for disorderly conduct and charged $285 in cleanup costs after she and a partner were caught twice having sex at Beaver Hill apartments, 340 E. Beaver Ave, just after 7 a.m. Saturday.

State College police said A.W. & Sons staff caught the pair having sex in the third-floor laundry room, and asked them to leave. The couple moved to the seventh floor, where they continued to have sex, resulting in a biohazard cleanup.

Police said the partner’s identity was not clear in surveillance video footage.

---

Let's hear it for one freshman who got acclimated to college very quickly.  The police will be taking butt-prints to identify the other suspect as the investigation continues.

File this under "Only at the Grange Fair"

From the Centre Daily Times:

Man charged with tasering estranged wife at Grange Fair

State College - Centre Daily Times

Posted: 2:42pm on Aug 30, 2011; Modified: 3:06pm on Aug 30, 2011

A man used a taser on his estranged wife Friday night at the Grange Fair during a dispute over a child custody issue, state police at Rockview said.

Steven L. Peters, 27, of Chesapeake, Va., is charged with Simple assault, a misdemeanor, and harassment, a summary. He was released Saturday from the Centre County jail on $7,500 bond.

Police said the alleged assault happened shortly after 11 p.m. Friday near the maintenance facility on the fairgrounds in Potter Township. Peters had gone there to get the couple’s children, but an altercation involving pushing and shoving resulted, said police. Police didn’t say who did the shoving and pushing.

But they said that’s when Peters used the taser on the woman, stunning her arm and leaving red marks.
Peters is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

How to throw a wedding party on the cheap

From the Centre Daily Times on Wednesday.  And yes, that is the happy couple shown above - note the link from the picture in the CDT to buy a copy of the photo.  Maybe Mr. Phillips and Ms. Lurch would like to purchase a few copies as a remembrance:

Newlyweds charged with shoplifting supplies for wedding reception

By CDT staff reports

Posted: 11:26am on Aug 24, 2011; Modified: 10:37am on Aug 25, 2011

A newlywed couple is accused of stealing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from  Wegmans Saturday that police say they intended to use at their wedding reception later that afternoon.  The value of the stolen items totaled $1,049.26, police said.

Arthur Phillips III, 32, and Brittany M. Lurch, 22, both of Centre Hall, married Aug. 18, and scheduled their wedding reception for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police said. But at 2:30 p.m., Patton Township police were called to Wegmans in the Colonnade shopping center for a report of a retail theft.

They watched the couple on surveillance camers put items in their shopping cart, and walk out to their car without paying, according to an affidavit filed by police. They then arrested Phillips and Lurch, who told police the items were intended for their reception.

The couple didn’t make it to the reception. Charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property, both misdemeanors, Phillips and Lurch remain in Centre County jail in lieu of $2,500 bail.

When searching their car for the stolen items, police said they found a glass smoking pipe with marijuana residue, and Phillips also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

They each waived their right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Great moments in small town crime, part 4. . .

From StateCollege.com last Thursday:

Police: Candy-Bar Thief Identified after Losing Driver's License

by Adam Smeltz on August 11, 2011 3:56 PM

A man who stole about 10 candy bars from an Atherton Street convenience store was identified after he left his driver's license behind, State College police said.

Police said the incident happened about 4:15 a.m. Thursday at a Minit Mart, 106 N. Atherton St. The man reportedly put the candy bars in his pockets, then tried to buy a bag of potato chips before leaving the store, a police report shows.

He was tracked down after his driver's license was discovered in an aisle of the Minit Mart, having fallen from his person, police said.

Charges in the matter are pending. The man's name was not immediately released Thursday.

---

Now see, if like most young men in college towns he had had a fake ID, this wouldn't have been a problem.

Alcohol involved?

From the Centre Daily Times:


Rollerblader cited after State College police say he rolled into pool

CDT staff reports

A man was issued a citation for trespassing Thursday night after State College police said he rode on his rollerblades into a hotel, then into its outdoor swimming pool because he was looking for a cold drink.

The man, a 28-year-old who police didn’t identify by name, was rollerblading on South Atherton Street about 10:15 p.m. and went into the Ramada at 1450 S. Atherton St. still on his rollerblades. He went through the kitchen, jumped a wall, and went into the hotel’s outdoor pool, still wearing his rollerblades, police said.

He wasn’t injured or overheated, police said.

Great moments in laundry

From this morning's Centre Daily Times:

Small fire caused by socks heating on stove

From CDT staff reports

July 16, 2011 6:50pm EDT

Socks heating in a pan on a stove caused a small fire in a College Township mobile home Friday morning.

State College police said a neighbor reported smoke coming from the mobile home at 620 Centre Ave. When police arrived, no one was home and police had to force their way inside. That's when they discovered a pair of socks heating in a pan on the stove in the kitchen.

There were no damages to the mobile home.

Firefighters from Alpha Fire Company extinguished the fire.

Most people would just hang their laundry outside to dry, especially when it's in the high 80s and sunny.

Drool central

From this morning's Centre Daily Times:

Raccoon wandering on Penn State campus tests positive for rabies

July 7, 2011 4:58pm EDT

A raccoon that was seen drooling and falling to the ground on the Penn State campus has tested positive for rabies.

According to the state Department of Agriculture, the raccoon was seen wandering around the central part of campus on June 30. It had trouble walking, was falling to the ground and running into things and appeared to be drooling. Campus police shot the raccoon and submitted it to Penn State’s Animal Diagnostic Lab for rabies testing.

---

This behavior could describe any of thousands of college students on campus during any Friday or Saturday night during the semester.

Breaking story: Animal cruelty

From StateCollege.com:

Police: Dyed, Clothed Shih Tzu Found Wandering in State College

posted @ 3:22 p.m. June 22:

A Shih Tzu dog that had been dyed hot pink was found wandering about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in State College, borough police said.

Police said the lost dog, also sporting a camouflage-style bandana, was picked up at 532 W. College Ave.

The dog was taken into custody as authorities tried to locate its owner, police said.

It wasn't immediately clear Wednesday whether the dog has been returned.

---

UPDATED @ 3:39 p.m. June 22: The lost Shih Tzu, named Miata, has been returned successfully to her owners, State College borough health officer Lori Sowash said. They live on the 500 block of South Allen Street.

"They are very, very relieved to get the dog back -- and, yes, they did dye it pink," Sowash said.

She said a passer-by on West College Avenue initially mistook the lost dog for a stuffed animal Tuesday morning.

When he realized it wasn't a toy, Sowash said, he held onto the dog and called the police.

Sowash took the dog to a local animal clinic, where her owners were already waiting for her, Sowash said.

A borough-provided photo of the dog is posted to the right.

---

UPDATED @ 10:15 a.m. June 23: A number of StateCollege.com readers have inquired about whether the dye job on the Shih Tzu amounted to animal cruelty.

Lori Sowash, a State College borough health officer, relayed that a State College veterinarian saw the dog Tuesday and said the dye job was not harmful.

"It appeared to be just a spray-on type of dye like you see some of our creative students wear," Sowash wrote in an e-mail message. "The owners were very kind to the dog and extremely happy to have gotten the dog back.

"I guess you have to think like a teenage college student to know why someone would dye their dog, but apparently in California or New York City, it's the 'in' thing to do," she noted.

Remedial driving instruction

From this morning's Centre Daily Times:

Woman injured after trying to stop drifting car

From CDT staff reports
June 1, 2011 8:10am EDT

A Julian woman was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center for treatment after state police said she tried to stop a car from coasting, driverless, down High Street in Port Matilda Monday night. 

Helen Greenland, 59, was treated at the scene by Port Matilda EMS before being transported to Mount Nittany with what state police said were moderate injuries. 

Police said Greenland, driving a Chevrolet S-10, had parked it along the 500 block of South High Street about 10:55 p.m. Monday. She attempted to drive away when she noticed the parking brake was on. Police said she pulled what she thought was the parking brake release, but actually pulled the hood release. 

Greenland got out of the vehicle to close the hood, leaving it in neutral. She then pulled the parking brake while standing outside the vehicle, which began to coast down the hill on South High Street, police said. She tried unsuccessfully to stop the vehicle and was dragged for about 10 feet. 

The S-10 coasted down South High Street, through the intersection with Beckwith Road, and struck a utility pole. State police said the investigation is ongoing.

Revenge of the groundhog

Okay, this is not quite in State College, but any groundhog story qualifies for this blog.  From today's Centre Daily Times website:

Groundhog hitches ride with unsuspecting Pa. man

The Associated Press

May 23, 2011 2:46pm EDT

WHITEHALL, Pa. — A stowaway groundhog created quite a mess, not to mention a neighborhood ruckus that drew police, a state wildlife officer and even the mayor, when it became trapped inside a car in suburban Allentown.

The fat, furry rodent tore up the back seat of a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville and used the car as a toilet.

Tyler Duncan, 20, of New Tripoli, made the unpleasant discovery Sunday afternoon when he returned to the car following a sleepover at a friend's house in Whitehall Township, according to The Morning Call of Allentown.

"I screamed," he said.

He called his mother, Sharon Duncan, who was brave enough to get in the car and start cleaning it. As she was picking up pieces of cushion and animal feces, Duncan's friend's mother caught a glimpse of the buck-toothed varmint trying to escape from underneath the front passenger seat. She, too, began screaming.

Township police and a state wildlife officer worked together to catch the woodchuck, which was put in a cage and released to the wild. Authorities believe the critter had traveled with Duncan from New Tripoli to Whitehall, a distance of about 15 miles.

Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza Jr. joked that he gave a "direct order" to take the groundhog back to New Tripoli.

Brotherly love

From the Centre Daily Times website:

Provocative fruit display causes sibling dispute

May 15, 2011 8:40am EDT

An argument over bananas has led to charges of harassment against a pair of siblings in Blair County.

Lester J. Helsel, 57, of Roaring Spring, and Julianne K. Stalter, 55, of Altoona, got into an argument at Helsel’s house at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

According to police, Helsel accused Stalter of eating and hiding his bananas. The argument escalated as he discovered she had arranged the fruit “to resemble the human male anatomy on his computer.”

Helsel then approached Statler and, in response, she shoved him, police said. He then repeatedly punched her in her head and upper torso, police said

Great moments in small town crime, part 3. . .

. . .or, how not to escape from the police.  From this morning's Centre Daily Times:

Police: Men arrested after failed window escape

May 13, 2011 9:18am EDT

State College police said two men vandalized a State College apartment early Thursday before one fell out a three-story window and both were arrested.

Police said officers heard a loud crash at 1:48 a.m. and found Robert O’Mahoney, 23, of Caldwin, N.Y., face down and unconscious between the Shandygaff bar and the Tavern Restaurant.

After O’Mahoney regained consciousness minutes later, not knowing his name or location, officers went to the apartment, where Eric Paulson, 21, of Ferguson Township, was with employees of the landlord, police said.

According to court documents, Paulson said he and O’Mahoney, after drinking all night, entered the apartment with the key code intending to wreck it in retaliation for damage they said the apartment owner had done to their place.

Police said the apartment had about $1,000 in damages, including several holes in the walls, paint poured on the floor and walls, overturned furniture, fire extinguisher foam, and a destroyed closet door.

Paulson told officers that after he and O’Mahoney heard knocking at the front door, O’Mahoney wanted to jump out the window, police said.

Paulson said he started to help lower him from the window but let go when O’Mahoney said he was OK, police said.

O’Mahoney was treated at Mount Nittany Medical Center for unspecified injuries and released, police said.
Both men were arraigned on charges of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal mischief, criminal trespass and tampering with fire apparatus.

What is it about wandering emus and Central PA?

From the Centre Daily Times (again):

Police shoot and kill wandering emu in central Pa.

- The Associated Press

April 21, 2011 5:48pm EDT

MANHEIM, Pa. — Police in central Pennsylvania have shot a stray emu that had been wandering around for days and eventually headed into a residential area.
 

The large, flightless bird had been criss-crossing the Penn Township and Manheim areas for more than a week. Police say that initially it was mostly in the countryside, so they weren't concerned about it bothering people with its sharp claws.

But the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reports police decided to shoot it Tuesday after it wandered into a residential area and children were chasing it near a school.

Penn Township police Chief Larry Snavely says authorities shot the animal to protect residents from getting hurt.

He says the emu's carcass has been donated to a wolf sanctuary.

Does your state have a porcupine hunting season?

From the Centre Daily Times this week:

Pa. porcupines picked by state for hunting

The Associated Press

April 12, 2011 6:55pm EDT

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Gaming Commission says pesky porcupines can be hunted, giving its approval for a nearly six-month hunting season.

Commissioners approved the proposal Tuesday but favored a hunting season from Sept. 1 to March 31 instead of the initial year-long season.

According to the agreement, the daily limit is just six of the small, slow-moving, razo[sic]-sharp rodents and hunters who go after them can use any legal sporting arm to kill them.

Porcuplines were a protected species in the state, but residents had been allowed to kill them if they were causing damage to property. The rodents can cause problems because they're attracted to wood and salt, sometimes damaging homes or even chewing through brake lines.

“I’ve done bear, deer, dogs — you name it. I’ve never chased an emu”

 

CDT/Abby Drey

One of Eddie Agostinelli's emu's in a trailer outside of his home in Boalsburg on March, 25, 2011.

From this morning's Centre Daily Times.  Note that it took two reporters to cover this story.

Emu escape ends bittersweetly

Anne Danahy and Ed Mahon

March 26, 2011 1:40am EDT

COLLEGE TOWNSHIP — Eddie Agostinelli spent most of this week chasing down emus — long-legged birds that resemble ostriches and are native to Australia. He bought them, hoping to turn a farming hobby into a profession.

But early Sunday morning, shortly after they’d arrived at his Shingletown farm, the two female emus and one male emu escaped.

The search ended somewhat sadly Friday afternoon, when the last nomadic emu was captured — but died shortly after, apparently from the stress and physical exertion of the chase.

But Agostinelli said he felt relieved that the six-day search was over — and that no person was hurt.

“I’m glad they’re not running free,” said Agostinelli, “I was more worried about them getting hit by a car or someone getting distracted by them” while driving.

The chase began after a lightning storm scared the gray birds from their new home. Agostinelli said they blew through a weak spot in the fence. Emus are known for their strong legs and sharp toenails, which can cut through fencing. And they can run up to 40 mph.

Residents of Harris and College townships had been calling in sightings of the feathered friends. Agostinelli said the two females were rounded up Thursday, and they still seem to be in good health. The male proved to be a trickier catch.

But by Friday, they were closing in on him. A friend of Agostinelli along with Lori Sowash, a health officer for State College borough who also works in animal control, nearly caught him on the bike path where Branch Road crosses U.S. Route 322. But he was elusive.


“I’ve done bear, deer, dogs — you name it. I’ve never chased an emu,” Sowash said.

Police closed in on him behind a backyard garden on Charles Street. Rose Williams said she and her husband, Joseph, were sitting in their sunroom when they saw the tall bird.

“I couldn’t believe it. He said, ‘There’s that bird,’ ” Rose Williams said.

For Joseph Williams, it was the second bird sighting of the day.

“I saw him over in Boalsburg this morning, when I went to get a haircut,” he said. “He’s been around.”

It took four people to capture the 125-pound bird and return him to the trailer where the two females that had been acting as bait were peeking out curiously.

“This is our education,” said Agostinelli, as he caught his breath, shortly after the chase ended. Police said Agostinelli does not face any fines or penalties.

Agostinelli has worked in a variety of fields, including running a restaurant, selling real estate and working in construction. He said he had just gotten the three birds, and six more are on the way. They can grow to 5 or 6 feet tall and 150 pounds, and they can be farmed for meat, leather and oil.

Once one of Agostinelli’s business partners finished chaining up the trailer to a truck, Agostinelli turned to the birds.

“All right,” he said, “time to go home, kids.”

But the male emu died a few hours later, a possibility that Agostinelli had been bracing for since the three escaped.

“I wasn’t sure how he was going to make out. He ran a lot today,” he said, adding that the bird appeared drained after the chase. “He never really came to.”

Still, Agostinelli said the experience hasn’t deterred him from pursuing farming. The financial loss is only about $150, and he is still fascinated by emus.

“They’re really cool animals,” Agostinelli said. “They’re kind of like pets.”

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648. Ed Mahon can be reached at 231-4619.

A tragic end to the emu story

Captured emu dies after he was taken home

March 25, 2011 5:47pm EDT

The emu that had been on the run after escaping from the fenced in area where he was kept died after being taken home today.

The male emu and two females ran out of the fenced area in Shingletown Sunday after being frightened by a lightning storm. The two females were captured Thursday.

The owner, Eddie Agostinelli, along with animal control and police were able to capture the male today after chasing him through several neighborhoods in Harris and College townships.

He died after being brought home.

and the latest emu update is now in. . . .

An image of the actual emu in question

Breaking News

Loose emu captured near Branch Road

March 25, 2011 12:56pm EDT

A loose emu was captured a few moments ago on Branch Road.

Police were searching this mornign [sic] for the emu, one of three that escaped Sunday from a local farm and the only one that had not yet been recaptured. It had been spotted earlier this morning, near Panorama Village Elementary School, and then was spotted around noon near East Branch Road.

A pursuit began that ended with the bird's capture.

Check back in a few moments for an update with more details.

"The powerful bird, they said, could be dangerous"

 From the Centre Daily Times website today:

Breaking News

Centre Region police on the lookout for loose emu

March 25, 2011 12:13pm EDT

Local police departments say they are on the lookout for an emu that got loose from a local farm.

It's been spotted in a couple places this morning in the area of Panorama Village Elementary School, and a few moments ago near East Branch Road between Lemont and South Atherton Street.

Police, who said it could be in College or Harris townships, urge anyone seeking the emu to call them, but not to approach the large bird. The powerful bird, they said, could be dangerous.

A headline you won't see too often

 From the Centre Daily Times

Butts waives hearing in Boob murder case

From CDT staff reports

September 2, 2010 12:45pm EDT

The man accused of helping a Bellefonte man escape from the scene of a homicide will face trial on the charges, after waiving his right to a hearing in court Wednesday.

Kermit Butts, 26, of Madisonburg, is charged with hindering prosecution and aggravated assault.

Police said Butts knew that his friend, Ronald Heichel, was planning to shoot and kill 29- year-old father Samuel Boob, at Boob’s wife’s request.

Both Heichel and Mirinda Boob are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Samuel Boob on Aug. 23, 2009.

Police said Butts knew Samuel Boob was in danger when he drove Heichel to the Boob family house the morning of the shooting.

Butts told police last week that he heard two shots ring, and Heichel later admitted to his friend that he shot the father of four.

Police said they came across the new information linking Butts to the case when concession stand workers returned to town for the Grange Fair. Heichel and Butts were both carnival workers at the fair last year.

Shhh - don't tell anyone!

Well, I guess this is one way to "improve security."  From the website of the Schlow Centre Region Library (click the image to see it full-sized):