A Grove City man died Monday after State Police say a deer crashed through the windshield of his Chevy pickup truck in Wolf Creek Township. According to police, 48 year old Sean Wike struck the deer along Sandy Lake Road shortly before 6:30 a.m. The deer went through the truck’s windshield, before striking the driver in the head, then crashed through the rear window and landing in a field. Wike died in the crash.
Joanna McClinton has been voted to be Speaker of the Pennsylvania House after Mark Rozzi stepped aside Tuesday. The Democrat from Philadelphia is the first woman, as well as the first Black woman, to hold the post. The 40-year-old, who has been a state lawmaker for the past eight years, was approved for the chamber’s top position on the strength of a new, one-vote Democratic majority. Rozzi said Tuesday he was willingly stepping aside after being speaker since January 3rd but he will remain a House member.
The Sharon Herald is reporting a district judge ordered charges of drug delivery resulting in death and other related accusations were held over to Common Pleas Court on Tuesday in the fatal overdose death of a Hermitage woman. 36 year old Rachine Smith of Farrell is one of two women accused of supplying drugs to Brandy Curry, who died of an overdose in March 2021. 35 year old Jennifer Deitz of Hermitage is also being charged in the case. Smith’s next court date is May 2nd.
Pennsylvania ranks third among states for accessing so-called sin taxes. That’s according to an analysis released last Tuesday by the state Independent Fiscal Office. Pennsylvania has a sin tax ratio of point 64 percent on just over five-million-dollars of personal income. The state ranks just below West Virginia and Rhode Island in the report. The I-F-O defines sin taxes as those on gaming, liquor and cigarettes. Pennsylvania also reportedly levies the 14th highest cigarette tax rate in the U.S. at two-dollars and 60 cents per pack.
A family is left shaken after an invasion of their home led to the kidnapping of a teenager in Cranberry on Monday. Police were called to a home in Stockton Ridge around 1:30 A.M. after two males entered a home, tied up a mother and her 17-year-old son, ransacked the house and then took the teenager with them as they left. The two male suspects abandoned their vehicle for another shortly after leaving the home. The teen called 9-1-1 from a convenience store around 5:00 A.M. in Beaver County. The teen has been reunited with his family while police are still searching for the suspects. Police do not think this was a random act and that the family was specifically targeted.
A Butler man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearm laws. Acting U.S. Attorney Tony Rivetti announced 61 year old Grant Williams pleaded guilty to five counts of failure to make entry in a record by a federal firearms dealer. Authorities said Williams held a federal firearm license and sold firearms from his business, Sportsman’s Supply Company, in Butler. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
State Police in Butler County will be conducting sobriety checkpoints later this month. Police said the checkpoints will take place during St. Patrick’s Day weekend March 17th through the 19th. Troopers will be conducting the enforcement on roadways that are determined to be problematic for DUI offenses in order to safeguard motorists traveling through Butler County.
State Police in Mercer County arrested a Cochranton man for trying to purchase a tractor with a bad check. Police said the purchase took place at Sandy Lake Implement in Sandy Lake back on February 23rd. The stolen tractor was located in Crawford County where the 24 year old suspect was arrested and placed in the Mercer County Jail. No other details were released.
Pennsylvania leaders are joining officials from 35 other states in urging Congress to increase the effectiveness of the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Dozens of attorneys general have signed a letter sent to federal lawmakers this week pointing out shortfalls within the system that is meant to build a uniform response to the criminal operations. Officials say the nonprofit organization Polaris, which oversees the hotline with the backing of federal dollars, has been forwarding limited tips on adult victims, sometimes after months of delay. The letter asks congressional leaders to step in and force Polaris to efficiently share all relevant information with local law enforcement.