Trending
City man charged in two separate disturbances
Brandon Hipple's voice was so loud that it "could be heard echoing off the houses throughout the entire 1000 block of Baldwin Street," according to an affidavit filed by city Patrolman Thomas Bortz.
Officers were dispatched to Hipple's home at 1027 Baldwin St. about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 14 after two neighbors were awakened by Hipple "yelling at the top of his lungs," Bortz said police were told.
This had been going on for more than three hours beginning the night before, the officer said.
Hipple, 29, came out of his house and threatened to "commit crimes of violence" towards his neighbors, Bortz alleged in court papers.
"It ends tonight," was one such statement Hipple made, including another in which he said he was "going to end people's lives," and "I'm going to shoot you all," the officer alleged.
Fearing for their families' safety, the neighbors were "annoyed and alarmed by Hipple's continuing conduct, yelling for hours and keeping them inside their homes and awake," Bortz said.
It was believed that "Hipple was yelling about an imaginary methamphetamine lab that he believed was somewhere on the block," the officer said.
Arraigned recently before District Judge Aaron Biichle on charges of terroristic threats and disorderly conduct, Hipple was released on $5,000 bail.
In another case involving Hipple, Bortz charged him with the same offenses as a result of another disturbance in which he allegedly told a neighbor, "Wait until I get my gun. I'll come over and shoot your a__," according to an affidavit.
This incident occurred about 4:15 a.m. on March 11, Bortz said.
"I can't (expletive) sleep. You guys are always waking me up," Hipple yelled to one neighbor who was leaving for work.
"Hipple is commonly outside at odd hours, disturbing and waking the neighborhood," Bortz said. Following his arraignment on charges in this case, Hipple was released on another $5,000 bail. He waived his preliminary hearings in both incidents.
City motorist facing multiple charges
Felony and misdemeanor charges have been lodged against Deven Alford following a brief pursuit that began when the 25-year-old motorist ran a stop sign at Market Street and Washington Boulevard in the city about 1:45 a.m. Saturday, state police said.
A trooper seeing the traffic violation activated his cruiser's emergency lights and siren as he pursued Alford's 2013 Chevrolet Malibu north on Market Street and then west on Rural Avenue before the driver pulled over to the side of the street and got out.
Alford, of 516 Elmira St., "began yelling obscenities and curse words" at the troopers, according to an affidavit. "He became irate and would not listen to commands," troopers said in the affidavit. The troopers detected the odors of burnt marijuana and alcohol coming from his breath.
Police said Alford put up a brief struggle as they attempted to handcuff him. He allegedly threatened the troopers with physical harm, police said.
Following his arraignment before Biichle on charges of fleeing police, terroristic threats, resisting arrest, recklessly endangering, DUI, disorderly conduct and careless driving, Alford, initially jailed in the Lycoming County Prison, is now free on $25,000 bail.
Man faces felony sex charge
After the woman passed out in a city home on the night of July 2, 2019, James Jaruce Thomas sexually assaulted the female acquaintance, city police alleged in court papers that were filed last month at the office of District Judge Christian Frey.
Thomas, 22, whose last known address was of the 1600 block of High Street, admitted that he and the woman engaged in sex and that it was consensual, police said. However, the victim refuted that claim, saying she was assaulted while she was unconscious, according to an affidavit.
Already in the Lycoming County Prison on another matter, Thomas has been arraigned on one felony count of sexual assault and re-committed in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Homeless man jailed on
shoplifting charges
After being taken into custody for shoplifting at Sunoco at 1601 Dewey Ave. just before 3 p.m. Monday, Brandon Serrano began making numerous threatening remarks to officers, Old Lycoming Township police alleged in court papers.
"I'm going to kick your a__," he said, according to an affidavit. "I'll break your (expletive)," he is alleged to have told the police.
Serrano, a 29-year-old homeless man from Puerto Rico, had been in the store for several hours and had refused to leave, police were told. He was asked to leave multiple times, but refused, police said.
At one point, Serrano left "the store, but stood outside blowing employees kisses," police said. It is allege he removed a beverage and hot dog without paying for it, court records stated.
Following his arraignment before District Judge Jerry Lepley on charges of terroristic threats, shoplifting, criminal mischief and public drunkenness, Serrano was jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Man accused of stealing cellphone
Sean Beam, 39, of 117 W. Sixth Ave., South Williamsport, has been charged with theft and receiving stolen property for stealing a cellphone from the Nittany Mini Mart, 2300 W. Fourth St., on March 16, city police alleged in court papers at Frey's office.
Police said the cellphone belonged to Crystal Lovelace, who accidentally left it in the store. The theft was caught on store video, police said. Beam has been sent a summons to appear before the judge.
Two motorists charged with DUI
When a Pennsylvania College of Technology police officer stopped Hanna Ragaa's 2019 Toyota Corolla in the 1100 block of West Third Street because she was driving without any lights on about 5 a.m. Feb. 21, he detected "a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle," according to an affidavit.
Ragaa, 19, of 1107 W. Fourth St., had a blood-alcohol content level of .10, police said. Charged with DUI and driving without a license, she has been sent a summons to appear before Frey.
In another case, city police stopped motorist Darnell Wallace, 62, of 641 Maynard Alley, in the 700 block of Memorial Avenue about 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 13 because the registration on his car had expired in August, according to an affidavit.
Wallace, whose eyes were glassy and bloodshot, admitted to drinking a beer and smoking marijuana hours earlier before getting behind the wheel, police said. A blood test confirmed there was marijuana in the city at the time. He had two marijuana cigarettes, police said. Charged with DUI of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, he has been sent a summons to appear before Frey.
Seven people face drug offenses
State parolee and convicted drug dealer Daquan Altari Alford, 24, of 2441 E. Third St., was arrested Tuesday on three felony charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance as a result of drugs that were discovered in a High Street apartment on May 1, according to state police.
An estimated 50 grams of cocaine, 22 sealed baggies of marijuana and nearly 80 grams of ecstasy were discovered at 832 High St. in an apartment that Alford was renting at the time, police said.
An estimated $7,300 of suspected drug money also was seized, police said. Following his arraignment before District Judge Jon E. Kemp, Alford was jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.
In another case, Helen Green, 27, of 144 1/2 W. Fourth St., has been charged with delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy for allegedly selling .44 grams of suspected cocaine to an informant for $80 near Green's apartment on April 13, according to court records filed by the county's Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU). Following her arraignment before Biichle, she was released on $50,000 bail.
In another case, Gary Naylor, 44, of Westfield, has been charged by state police with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia on Muncy Creek Boulevard in Muncy Creek Township on March 19, according to court records. He faces an additional charge of possession of offensive weapon for allegedly having brass knuckles and a switchblade, police said. He has been sent a summons to appear before Kemp.
In another case, Skyler Bower, 30, of Lock Haven, has been charged with possession of bath salts and drug paraphernalia in the 2300 block of East Third Street on Dec. 28, state police said. He is free on $10,000 bail.
In another case, a bench warrant was expected to be filed for Larry Lehman Jr., 51, of Donaldson, Schuylkill County, after he recently failed to appear for his preliminary hearing for drug charges filed by state police, according to court records filed at the office of District Judge Gary Whiteman.
Lehman has been charged with possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia at East Third Street and Westminster Drive on Sept. 25.
A bench warrant also was expected to be issued for Kevin Bower Jr., 19, of 1001 Race St., after he failed to appear for a recent preliminary hearing on Montoursville police charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Police allege he had 13 grams of the controlled substance in the 300 block of Howard Street in the borough on March 15.
In another case, Amber Fisher, 32, of 143 Mohawk Road, Hughesville, has been charged with possession of eight bags of suspected heroin at High Street and Wildwood Boulevard in the city on April 21, 2020, according to court records filed by NEU. She has been sent a summons to appear before Frey.