With insufficient evidence to pursue the case, state police have dropped all charges against Linton Hooper, 58, of 513 Wyoming St., and Athony Leroy James Jr., 52, of 1320 Pleasant Hills Road, in connection with a 2015 sports car owned by James that was set on fire on 4 Mile Road near Trout Run last May 27. It was alleged the two men conspired to set the car ablaze so that James could collect insurance, police said. A key witness recanted what they had initially told investigators about Hooper and James. Police withdrew charges of arson, insurance fraud, tampering with evidence and false reports against the two. A felony charge of reckless burning against Hooper was also dropped.

In another case, state police also dropped charges of simple assault and harassment against Gavin Luke Schomburg, 23, of 110 Evergreen Road, Hughesville, after the alleged victim did not want to pursue the matter. The charges stemmed from a domestic disturbance in Schomburg’s home in Wolf Township on Dec. 4.

In one of two drug cases handled before District Judge Kirsten Gardner, Gabriel Hunter Koch, 25, of 770 W. Fourth St., apartment 406, pled guilty to a state police charge of possession of marijuana, and made arrangements to pay $901 in fines and court costs. A summary traffic offense was withdrawn. The charge stemmed from an incident on John Brady Drive in Muncy Creek Township on Dec. 27.

In the other case, Jorden Jene Walters, 30, of 1016 W. Southern Ave., South Williamsport, made arrangements to pay $836 in fines and court costs after pleading guilty last week to a state police charge of possession of marijuana that stemmed from an incident on Route 15 in Clinton Township on Nov. 28, 2024. As part of the plea agreement, state police dropped a DUI charge and two summary offenses.