ORANGE TWP. — A camper who fell down an embankment into Fishing Creek late Tuesday night — setting off a massive search-and-rescue effort — was discovered lifeless along the shore just a quarter mile from where he disappeared.
John Williams, 55, of Mahanoy City was a regular seasonal camper at Fishing Creek Campground, said Columbia County Coroner Jeremy Reese. He was visiting with friends at a nearby camper just before the accident.
BERWICK — A man and two women were busted on drug conspiracy charges after Berwick police raided a trailer on North Mercer Street early Tuesday and seized crystal meth and heroin, along with a large amount of drug packaging material, arrest papers say.
Ronald J. Robbins Jr., 34, and Bobbie Jo Rogers, 35 — both of 815 N. Mercer St.— and Meghan McAndrew, 39, of 29 Utt Road, Orangeville, were all taken into custody when police showed up with a narcotics search warrant at the trailer residence about 6 a.m.
BERWICK — A torrential downpour broke over the eastern half of Columbia County on Thursday afternoon, putting some borough streets under feet of water, downing trees and generally wreaking havoc.
The borough had to shut down Spring Garden Avenue from Mercer to Eaton Street. A reporter there around 3 p.m. saw water up to car bumpers. On Facebook, others posted video of water overflowing an intersection at Monroe and Park streets on Berwick's west end. Rittenhouse Mill Road was also shut down for a time.
SCOTT TWP. — A Berwick teen pulled a knife on two younger boys at the movie theater because he believed they were making fun of him — pointing at him and laughing, arrest papers say.
When police arrived to the Cinema Center, they pulled Brian Orlowski Jr., 18, of 1001 LaSalle St., out of a screening of “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.” A manager at AMC Cinema Center had notified officers of the threat around 8 p.m. Aug. 2.
BRIAR CREEK — A homeless teen with a knife attacked another homeless person living inside a tent here Friday morning, resulting in a wild melee that left both hospitalized with injuries, arrest papers say.
Now Austin Lee Kerns, 18, faces charges of aggravated assault and related crimes after police say he attacked Dakota Whitmire, 27, as Whitmire and his brother, Robert Boston, were staying in a tent set up in a wooded area just north of Giant Food Store.
BLOOMSBURG — A suspected trafficker had two ounces of crystal meth along with other illegal drugs and a stolen handgun locked up in a safe when town police raided his home here Wednesday afternoon.
Ronald E. Broadt Jr., 51, of 909 E. Eighth St., who goes by the nickname “Moxie,” sold crystal meth twice to a police informant leading up to the drug bust — carried out with a search warrant obtained earlier in the day, arrest papers say.
Police say Broadt was also holding some pills packaged for sale in his pants pocket when searched.
SHICKSHINNY — A tractor trailer driver was injured when he lost control of his rig on Route 11 at Furnace Street here Monday morning, shearing off utility poles and scattering its load of metal recyclables as it flipped on its side.
The 7 a.m. crash cut power and phone service, closed the highway for hours and gave residents a fright.
Francene Tearpock-Martini was drinking the day's first cup of coffee in her home at 56 S. Main St. when she heard “bang, bang,” saw smoke and realized her lights and phone had gone out.
SALEM TWP. — A man following his daughter to a garage crashed a car into the rear of the vehicle she was driving, setting off a chain-reaction accident that damaged six vehicles.
No one appeared to be seriously hurt, though the daughter, Courtney E. Oldenbuttel, 25, of 537 Monroe St., Berwick, and her three young children were taken to Commonwealth Berwick Hospital Center as a precaution, said Police Chief Michael McNeal.
BLOOMSBURG — Two workers were electrocuted at Bloomsburg’s water plant Monday morning when the boom of a crane truck came into contact with a power line.
Both men — ages 19 and 63 — were conscious and alert after being shocked by electricity, but were transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville with serious injuries, according to Bloomsburg Police.
CATAWISSA — A former township supervisor and secretary-treasurer in Conyngham Township on Columbia County’s southern tip stole $181,000 in public money over at least five years, police charge.
After more than a year of investigation, State Police finally swooped down on Linda Tarlecki at her home in Aristes Friday, arresting her and charging her with illegally writing herself nearly 300 checks out of township accounts.