Hughesville businessman, 1 other man face charges

HUGHESVILLE - In one of two separate incidents involving the Big Dogz Sports Bar and Restaurant on Route 220, borough police have charged its owner with allegedly interfering with police last month when they arrested an intoxicated motorist who was pulled over in front of the establishment.

In an another incident at the Wolf Township business, an intoxicated patron has been charged with allegedly damaging two parked vehicles and urinating on the front door in mid-April after he was ordered to leave the bar, according to state police.

Information on both cases first came to light Wednesday in court papers filed at the office of District Judge C. Roger McRae.

In the first case, Carl F. Shultz Jr., identified in court papers as the bar's owner, has been charged with obstructing the administration of law and disorderly conduct as a result of an incident with borough police outside the bar about 10 p.m. June 6.

Borough Police Chief Richard Shearer said Shultz, 50, apparently was upset when two borough police officers stopped a motorist in front of the bar, located just outside the borough.

The driver, Lawrence A. Johnson Jr., 55, of 2010 Poco Farm Road, Loyalsock Township, was stopped for running a red traffic light at Main and Water streets, Shearer said.

It turned out that Johnson, who allegedly had cocaine and a switchblade knife on him, was intoxicated, Shearer said. With a blood-alcohol content level of 0.13, Johnson has been charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants, possession of a controlled substance and carrying a prohibitive offensive weapon.

As the officers were trying to frisk Johnson, Shultz allegedly interfered with the investigation by coming outside and asking them "to move the vehicle stop. He claimed the officers were on his property," Shearer said.

The officers ordered Shultz to leave, but he refused, said Shearer, who joined the two officers at the scene within minutes after the stop.

Shultz claimed that the "police were intimidating his patrons," but Shearer told him that "he could not attempt to remove officers involved in a lawful investigation and arrest."

Shultz, of 275 Linvic Drive in Wolf Township, has been sent a summons to appear before McRae.

The other incident at the establishment occurred about 1:50 a.m. April 20 when patron Joshua Seth Yerger was ordered out of the business because of his behavior, state Trooper Justin Bieber said in an affidavit.

Yerger of Laurel Run Road, also in Wolf Township, was in the establishment "having drinks and became intoxicated. He was harassing and making rude comments to the females," so the bartender decided to stop serving him drinks, "which irritated him," Bieber said.

Yerger was ordered to leave, but he refused, so he was escorted to the door, Bieber said. Once outside, Yerger allegedly damaged two cars parked in the lot and urinated on the bar's door, Bieber said.

When state troopers arrived on the scene, Yerger was sitting in the driver's seat of a car in the rear parking lot. Upon seeing the cruiser, Yerger began yelling obscenities and gave the troopers an obscene gesture, Bieber said.

Yerger pulled out of the lot, driving only a short distance before the troopers stopped him. He has been charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness. He, too, has been sent a summons to appear before McRae.