AG: Woman Embezzled Money From Employer
North East – An Erie County woman is being charged for allegedly embezzling funds from her workplace into her own business to keep it afloat. PA Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges of theft by unlawful taking, device fraud, and related crimes against Krista Stempka of North East on Thursday. According to a press release, Stempka managed company finances at Advanced Welding Technologies, and over the course of years, transferred money from that company to her own family business, Stempka Cellars. While some of the money was eventually transferred back, her actions resulted in a net loss of $58,000 for her employer.
DUI Charge After Crash
Conneaut Lake – 70-year-old Harry Cawley of Linesville has been charged with DUI and driving on a suspended license after crashing his car in Crawford County on Sunday. According to the Pennsylvania State Police, Cawley was driving alone on Route 285 in Greenwood Township when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a guide rail, then overcorrected and drove his car into a tree on the opposite side of the road, which broke in half and landed on his car. Troopers from the State Police found Cawley in that condition, and he only suffered minor injuries.
One Found Dead During Fire
Erie – One person died in an Erie housefire over the weekend. At about 1 a.m. Saturday morning, fire crews were called to the scene of a fire on West 24th Street. One person and a dog were evacuated from the building as firefighters came in, but another person was found deceased at the scene. Erie Coroner Lyle Cook identified the victim as 82-year-old Pedro De Jesus. Authorities are still determining the cause of death for Pedro and the fire that happened in his home.
Fatal Crash Kills Four People
Mercer – The Pennsylvania State Police has confirmed that all four people involved in a Friday night crash have died as a result. The crash happened Friday night in Lackawannock Township, Mercer County, around 7:30 p.m. We now know that 21-year-old Jacob Leathe of Mercer was driving a Corvette at a high rate of speed along Orchard Road and collided head-on with a pickup making a left turn from Mercer West Middlesex Road. Crash scene investigators say that the impact caused the Corvette to go airborne, where it landed right side up and caught on fire.
Mercer County Coroner John Libinati confirmed that Leathe and his passenger, 19-year-old Urie Byler, were killed at the scene of the crash. Larry and Cynthia Miller, both 76 and from Mercer, were inside the pickup. They were transported to St Elizabeth’s Hospital, but both died within hours of the incident.
Rodriguez Sentenced to 80 Years
Erie – On Monday, Marisa Rodriguez was sentenced to 40 to 80 years in prison for the April 2023 murder of Michael Maisner in Erie County. Rodriguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of murder in the third degree, abuse of a corpse, and eight other crimes connected to Michael’s death. She admitted to shooting her victim in the head and using a chainsaw and a fire pit in an attempt to dispose of his remains. Rodriguez also stole Michael’s car and fled to New York State, where she was later arrested.