Police Beat

2-13, PA State Police

– Fern Ridge was called regarding a “medical” scam where a 62 y/o Effort woman provided the scammer with near $9,000 worth of gift cards. PSP is investigating.

Just after 9 p.m. on 2/10, PSP-F was called regarding a domestic in Birch Hollow Estates that escalated from a verbal argument to simple assault (he shook her in a violent manner). She sustained minor injury. The 35 y/o man was arrested.

PSP was called regarding the theft of a red and silver BMX GT bicycle from a Basswood Court, Indian Mountain Lakes home on 2-23.

PSP investigated applications from gun dealers from individuals not allowed to buy weapons.

Keeping the Rubber Side down

A 38 y/o Wilkes-Barre man put his Chevy van into a tree off Kilmer Trail in Penn Forest Twp. just before 11 a.m. on 2-13. He and his passenger were securely seat-belted, so not hurt. PSP arrived and issued a ticket for the crash.

Just before 3 p.m. on 2-16, a 25 y/o Bloomsburg man driving south on Route 115 drove off the road on a curve (just south of Effort) and hit the guide rail hard enough to send his Nissan Sentra airborne. While in the air, his car hit a large wooden sign, which set the car cartwheeling. The car had heavy damage to its front and rear bumper area and he also got a ticket from PSP-F for the crash. He was lucky to be uninjured.

A 32 y/o Warrington man was driving his Jeep

by Seth Isenberg

on Guest Circle Road in Towamensing Trails, Penn Forest Twp. at 2:35 p.m. on 2-18 when he reached South Old Stage Road and stopped…but then pulled out in front of an oncoming Freightliner truck. The truck tried to stop but hit the Jeep at its front right panel spinning the Jeep 360º into a tree. The Jeep then came to a stop on the road shoulder. The Jeep’s driver wasn’t hurt, but his Jeep was. PSP also sent him along with a warning. The truck was able to drive away.

During a snow event at 2:30 p.m. on 2-22, the driver of a Toyota Scion was in a hurry to get home to WilkesBarre when he lost control and spun on Interstate 80 west, and then was hit by a tractor-trailer who was traveling behind. The impact sent the Scion off the road about 25 feet, where it hit a small tree. The crash sent the driver of the Scion, a 46 y/o man, via a ride in a Pocono Mountain Regional EMS ambulance to Geisinger WVH for treatment of minor injuries. PSP sent along a ticket for driving at an unsafe speed for conditions. Both vehicles were disabled, and towed.

Penn Forest and Kidder are not HIGH enough for some

9:53 a.m. 2-7, PSP made a traffic stop on Route 534 at Navajo Trail in Penn Forest and found a 46 y/o Albrightsville local who was driving while drugged, so DUI. A search warrant was sought. The results of the search included methamphetamine and drug-related “equipment.” PSP made another DUI stop on 2-5 at 6:29 p.m. of a

40 y/o Bangor man driving along Silver Valley Road east of Effort also drugged driving.

PSP made a traffic stop on Route 209 in Gilbert and found a 20 y/o WilkesBarre man driving under the influence of drugs likely pot and meth as he had small amounts of both drugs in his possession. Charges will depend on his blood test results.

PSP also reports a crash at 2 a.m. on 1-21 of a Jeep drunk driven along Route 715 off the road and into a utility pole. This one was alcohol-related.

Camp Cadet

Camp Cadet is a free leadership/law enforcement overnight camp for kids ages

13 to 15, and applications to be part of this year’s program at Marywood University from July 23 to 28 are open to March 17. Go to www. trooprcampcadet.org to learn more and apply online.

PennDOT

Winter weather duty will continue as there is some. When plow trucks are active, give them a wide berth so they can do their job. Be alert for black ice when temperatures are below freezing.

Pothole patching, tree trimming and crack sealing are underway with crews out doing work on various roads. Use www.511PA.com to check conditions on 40,000+ miles of PA roads for free. It provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to 1000+ traffic cameras. It’s also a smartphone application, or by calling 5-1-1.