Metal Scraps Spilled onto Highway
Franklin – PennDOT and local maintenance crews may still be working to clean up metal shavings in Venango County this morning. Metal shavings spilled onto a road in Venango County may have damaged the tires of multiple vehicles, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. On Thursday morning, during the 11:00 hour, a truck hauling metal shavings began losing parts of its load for about 18.5 miles of roadway. Metal shavings were found from the intersection of Buxton Road and Route 8 in Cherrytree Township, all the way through Cherrytree, and then along Route 417 through Demspeytown, and then stopping near the intersection of Pittsburgh Road and Pone Lane in Franklin. If you drove through this area yesterday afternoon or this morning and found metal embedded in your tires, contact Don Martin Trucking in Saxonburg, PA, at (724)352-3104 between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
DUI Driver Crashed Into House During Pursuit
Girard – In Erie County, the police have charged a Mifflin County man with two felonies and numerous other crimes after they say he crashed into a mobile home while trying to flee a traffic stop. 24-year-old Seth Armstrong of Milroy is charged with DUI, and third-degree felonies for fleeing and eluding police and criminal mischief, among other crimes. According to the officers, on December 28th, Armstrong tried to flee through Imperial Point Mobile Home Park near Girard when he crashed into a tree and a home simultaneously. Nobody was injured by the collision.
Homicide Trial Rescheduled for Third Time
Mercer – In Mercer County, the trial of a man accused of killing a teenager has been postponed for the third time. Jury selection for the homicide trial of DeShawn Watkins was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but has once more been moved up, for a to be determined date in March, so that the defense and prosecution can review new evidence that was finally recovered from the suspect’s cell phone. Judge Daniel P. Wallace begrudgingly agreed to reschedule. Watkins is accused of killing and dismembering 14-year-old Pauly Likens in 2024.