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High-speed pursuit involving stolen car lands driver in jail
Driving a stolen Toyota that he allegedly carjacked from Virginia, 20-year-old Nima Ganjavi paid no heed Saturday morning to the police cruisers pursuing him as he traveled on Route 15 through the city at a high rate of speed, according to a Williamsport police affidavit.
The pursuit began about 10:30 a.m. after officers, told by a dispatcher to be on the lookout for a stolen car whose driver was "involved in an armed robbery," spotted the car and got behind the vehicle, it was stated in the court document. "When officers activated the emergency lights on their vehicles, the driver began driving at excessively high rates of speed" as he continued north out of the city on the four-lane highway, police said.
During the pursuit, which extended into Tioga County, Ganjavi, of Henrico, Virginia, about 12 miles north of Richmond, "swerved around traffic in spontaneous and erratic ways that put other motorists in danger," police alleged in the court document. "He left the roadway in order to pass vehicles on the berm, police said. The 33-mile pursuit ended when Ganjavi crashed in a construction zone on Route 15 near the Blossburg interchange, police said. He was evaluated by emergency medical technicians at the scene and then turned over to police.
Ganjavi, who is wanted on theft-related charges out of Tennessee, was charged by city police with flight to avoid operation and receiving stolen property, both felonies, as well as recklessly endangering other persons, a misdemeanor, as well as two summary offenses. At his arraignment before District Judge Kirsten Gardner, law enforcement informed the judge that charges were pending against Ganjavi from Virginia stemming from the carjacking in which the victim was employed as a ride-sharing driver. Gonjavi was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Alleged threats lead to new charge against county prison inmate
At the conclusion of her county probation hearing on June 17 before a Court of Common Pleas judge, 19-year-old Amahle Gaffga became "very agitated and hostile," and became "verbally aggressive" toward her probation officer telling her she would not only hurt her, but "would kill her," it was alleged by a detective assigned with to Lycoming County District Attorney's Officer. Gaffga, who last known address was the Ashler Manor juvenile residential facility in Muncy Township, where she was living last year, according to court records. She was arrested on Township police charge of disorderly conduct for allegedly lunging at a staff member and throwing property inside the building in mid-April 2025, court documents stated. Currently incarcerated at the county prison on a probation violation, Gaffga has been arraigned before District Judge Aaron Biichle on a new charge of terroristic threats and recommitted in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Charges filed after false information is allegedly submitted on gun application
Daniel James Margist, 46, of Lock Haven, has been charged with felony submitting false information on a government form in an attempt to purchase a firearm and making unsworn falsification to authorities, a misdemeanor, following an incident at the National Range and Armory 531 Washington Blvd., last Oct. 16, according to city police. It is alleged that on that date, Margist knowingly submitted false information on a form as well as a false statement on a firearm application, police said. Following his recent arraignment before Biichle, Margist was initially jailed, but has since been released on $25,000 bail.