English Center man jailed following disturbance inside tavern

After a bartender ordered him out of Harper’s Creekside Tavern on Little Pine Creek Road in English Center early Sunday morning, 56-year-old John David Fairbanks walked out, got in his pickup truck and drove around the business, “revving his engine and doing burnouts (spinning the vehicle’s wheels rapidly),” it was alleged in a state police affidavit. He drove through yards and damaged flower pots in front of the business, police said. As he was doing this, those inside began locking the bar’s doors and took cover; one, Fairbanks’ former girlfriend, barricaded herself in a freezer while another person inside flipped a table and tried to hide behind it, the court document stated.

Fairbanks then walked back into the bar through the front door possessing a shotgun, police were told. That door was apparently not locked. He held the shotgun in an upright position and started saying “tick-tock” multiple times as he allegedly pointed it at the person behind the table, the affidavit stated. “Fairbanks (then) said that he had slugs that would blow right through the table,” the court document stated. Upon troopers arriving on the scene about 12:10 a.m., Fairbanks, whose address on the criminal complaint was the same as the bar’s, dropped the shotgun and walked outside. He was immediately taken into custody. Police recovered the shotgun, which was empty, the affidavit stated.

Fairbanks was charged with terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, DUI, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal mischief. Following his arraignment before District Judge William Solomon, he was placed in the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Montgomery couple face felony animal cruelty charge

Charles Tyson, 46, and Gracy Morey, 41, both of 232 Fredna Ave., Montgomery, have been arrested on a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to an animal after allegedly abandoning their German Shepherd-type dog, Lizzy, when they moved out of their trailer part at 77 Orchard Avenue in Wolf Township sometime between late March and early April, according court records SPCA humane officer Shauntay Shadrach filed at the office of District Judge Kirsten Gardner. The humane society executed a search warrant at the trailer on or about April 9 and took custody of the dog, which immediately began receiving veterinary care.

A veterinarian treating Lizzy reported to Shadrach that the dog “was in good health other than food and water being withheld from her to the point that she was emaciated and dehydrated,” according to an affidavit. The veterinarian told the officer that “Lizzy would not have made it another 24-48 hours without food and water,” the court document stated.

In the document, Shadrach stated that Tyson’s and Morey’s former trailer was “disheveled with trash and household items scattered everywhere. Almost every window in the trailer was busted.” The investigator said that the property had been posted non-inhabital and that all utilities had been shut off since March 23.

When Lizzy was seized by the SPCA, she weighed 25 pounds, but her weight had increased to nearly 40 pounds by the end of April, Shadrach said. Tyson has since “signed ownership” of the dog to the humane society.

He and Morey have been arraigned before Gardner and released on $20,000 bail each. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.

Homeless man jailed in numerous offenses

When state troopers arrived at Sheetz at 5676 Route 15 in Clinton Township to investigate a disturbance involving Alexander Darnell Johnson about 11:45 p.m. on May 17, they told the 33-year-old homeless man that he would have to leave and could not stay in the store, it was stated in an affidavit. “Take me to jail,” he replied, and that is exactly where he ended up, police said. However, when they tried to take him into custody, he “actively resisted,” police said. He continued yelling and screaming as the troopers took him outside and placed him in the back of their cruiser, police added. When they went back in the store, the troopers discovered among his personal possessions marijuana and $35 in store merchandise he had not paid for, it was alleged. Arraigned before District Judge Denise Dieter on charges of felony shoplifting, resisting arrest, trespassing, disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness, Johnson remains jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Three men arrested on assault-related charges in separate cases

Matthew Brian Hamilton, 38, of 628 Fifth Ave., remains locked up in the county prison on charges of simple assault and harassment that stem from him allegedly punching his sister in the face and the side of the head, leaving her with a black eye and causing bleeding from her forehead during a disturbance in the family’s home on April 19, according to city police. Hamilton has since waived his preliminary hearing before District Judge Aaron Biiichle and is jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

In another case, while in an extremely-intoxicated state, Jose Michael Marshall punched his girlfriend numerous times and bit her twice on the leg in the apartment they share at the Newberry Estates, 2500 Federal Ave., on Sunday night, city police said. When officers arrived on the scene and tried to talk to him, Marshall walked away and started “yelling at a neighbor,” police alleged. Marshall, 33, was taken into custody and arraigned before District Judge Gary Whiteman on charges of simple assault, harassment, possession of marijuana and public drunkenness. He was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.

In another case, Basil M. Doamaral, 35, of 1675 Andrews Place, has been incarcerated on charges of simple assault and felony trespassing for allegedly entering his ex-girlfriend’s city apartment and then hitting and slapping the woman and spitting on her on May 8. Following his arraignment last week before District Judge William Solomon, Doamaral was jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail.

City woman allegedly assaulted another

Destiny M. Hill, 26, of 1529 W. Fourth St., has been charged by city police with simple assault and harassment for striking another woman in the face with her cellphone, causing swelling and bruising in her left eye, in the 500 block of Lycoming Street last Dec. 16, city police alleged. The victim was treated at UPMC Williamsport for her injuries.

She has since waived her preliminary hearing before District Judge Christian Frey and is released on $5,000 bail.