BLOOMSBURG — Dozens of state corrections officers swept through Columbia County Prison Wednesday searching for drugs and weapons — but they turned up nothing major, said Prison Warden David Varano.
The search, which had been planned for weeks in response to reports of drugs being smuggled into the local lockup, went smoothly, Varano said
BERWICK — An early-morning raid on a house here netted four drug-dealing suspects and about 830 bags of suspected heroin or fentanyl, plus a ledger detailing drug sales, police said.
Brian Labar, 53, was arrested at his house at 503 Pine St., around 6:20 a.m. Wednesday, according to charges filed by Sgt. Philip Mainiero.
Officers said they found his tenants, Maurice D. “Kio” Worthen, 31, and Jessika L. “Jay” Gliem, 24, in bed in the basement; and
Christy Sue Haubner, 28, hiding in a back basement room. All three of them were arrested as well.
SCOTT TWP. — A Rite Aid manager stole $1,030 and cigarettes from the business over the weekend, court papers say.
But the theft was discovered and Brian Sabolewski, 34, of 91 Valley Drive, Berwick, is without a job and facing charges.
Sabolewski said he took the money from a safe at the pharmacy on Route 11 “out of desperation” to pay rent and buy food for his household, arrest papers say.
“Stupid mistake,” he said when arraigned on burglary and theft charges Tuesday afternoon before District Judge Russell Lawton.
BERWICK — A man wanted for allegedly raping an unconscious victim in March of 2002 in California was arrested here Thursday by Berwick Police and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, court papers say.
Donald Dontay Sanders, 37, was living at 540 W. Front St., Berwick, Thursday morning, according to court records.
Those records didn’t provide details about the 2002 accusations.
BLOOMSBURG — A Berwick man who aimed a hail of gunfire at police in the BIDA industrial complex in 2015 will spend up to 82 1⁄2 years in state prison, a judge decided Wednesday.
James Calderone, 39, of 527 E. Fourth St., maintained during his sentencing that he has no memory of firing three dozen AK-47 rounds at three police officers and a BIDA maintenance manager. A piece of shrapnel caused by one of those bullets struck the side of Detective Greg Martin’s head.
Calderone’s shooting didn’t stop until he was hit by return fire from the police.
BERWICK — A man on a motorized scooter was hit while crossing a street here Friday morning and later died from his injuries, police said.
Accompanied by his daughter, the victim was crossing near the intersection of East Fifth and Walnut Streets about 10:30 a.m. when a red Dodge Ram hit him, sending him tumbling out of his motorized scooter, police said.
His daughter had already made it to the sidewalk and escaped injury, according to police.
The driver said he did not see the victim crossing the street, police said.
SALEM TWP. — Two pickup trucks collided at the intersection of East Front Street and Johnson Avenue here Thursday afternoon.
Police say the driver of one of the trucks died in the crash. The Luzerne County Coroner was called to the scene.
The crash, which happened around 2 p.m., brought police, fire and rescue crews from Salem Township, Berwick and beyond.
We have a reporter and photographer at the accident and will have more information as it's available.
MAHONING TWP. — A man and his passenger had to be cut from a car after it swerved off Route 11 near Steve Shannon Tire here, crashing into a culvert after it appeared the driver had a sudden health issue , township police said.
Larry R. Cover, 51, and his passenger, 46-year-old Donna L. Hine, both of Shamokin, were rescued by fire and emergency medical volunteers after the crash along Montour Boulevard about 10 a.m.
Both were taken by ambulamces to Geisinger Medical Center where they were being treated for injuries to the head, back and leg, according to police.
BLOOMSBURG — A former special education teacher who admitted having indecent sexual contact with a 15-year-old boy was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs Wednesday after being sentenced to 1 to 4 years in prison.
Dennis A. Delorso, 47, formerly of Bloomsburg but now living along Trevorton Road near Shamokin, told a judge that he was “sincerely sorry” for having “hurt so many people,” including the victim and his own family.
SCOTT TWP. — A Bloomsburg woman drove drunk at four times the legal limit with her young son in the vehicle, frightening the child as she struck guardrails along Route 11, police allege.
After Jennifer Lonsdale’s car had been pulled over near Central Road, her son, 5, told officers his mother had been taking him to Atlantic City for a vacation, but he begged her to turn around and return home because he was “scared.”
Lonsdale, 47, of 139 E. Eighth St., was charged with a felony count of child endangerment, along with DUI and other traffic offenses, arrest reports state.