Woman charged in thefts at Ephrata

Police, fire log

Sunday News

Nov 29, 2009 00:16 EST

By STAFF

Ephrata police reported Saturday that Dana Hess, 28, Ephrata, was charged with four counts of thefts from vehicles and one count of theft by unlawful taking.

Hess was charged in connection with her role in stealing pocketbooks and cell phones from unlocked vehicles parked at an Ephrata-area church and day care center. The thefts happened between Oct. 6 and Nov. 12, police said.

Additionally, police charged Hess with with the unlawful taking violation after she allegedly entered Fulton Elementary School and stole money and a cell phone from a teacher's pocketbook.

Anyone with any additional information is asked to contact Det. Graeme Quinn, 738-9200, ext. 272.

CRASHES: State police at Lancaster reported that a 16-year-old female driver was attempting to turn north onto Route 41 at routes 41 and 741, Salisbury Township, when she collided with a car driven by Philip L. Johnson, 35, Kinzers. The crash happened at 5:15 p.m. Friday.

The girl was not injured; Johnson suffered a minor injury, police said.

•State police said Norman D. Ober, 84, Manheim, failed to stop for a stop sign at an intersection on Milton Grove Road, Rapho Township, at 6:27 p.m. Wednesday and his vehicle was struck by a car driven by Thomas E. Bieber, 48, Manheim.

•State police at Ephrata reported a two-vehicle crash Tuesday night on Route 72 near Pinch Road, Rapho Township.

Police said that Ramiro J. Ruiz-Rosario, 26, North East, Md., was attempting to make a U-turn on Route 72 after checking on a disabled motorist who was southbound on the highway.

Police said Ruiz-Rosario had been behind the disabled motorist but decided to go further north in an attempt to get southbound traffic to slow down until the disabled vehicle could be moved.

Ruiz-Rosario failed to see an oncoming car driven by Erik K. Hugo, 29, Lititz, police said. The Hugo car struck the Ruiz-Rosario vehicle, which sustained rear right damage. The Hugo vehicle had front-end damage. Ruiz-Rosario was not injured; Hugo suffered a minor injury, police said.

The crash happened at 7:25 p.m. A passenger in the Ruiz-Rosario vehicle, Christopher R. Derk, 32, Elkton, Md., was not injured.

BURGLARY: Officials at the Leola Produce Auction, 135 Brethren Church Road, reported Saturday that the snack bar area of the business had been entered sometime between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23. Nothing was found missing from the business, West Earl Township police said.

CAR THEFT: Sometime between 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:45 a.m. Thursday, a 1992 Honda was stolen from the 700 block of New Holland Avenue, police said.

DUI: Ephrata police reported that Matthew D. Krafft, 36, Ephrata, was stopped for erratic driving near South Reading Road and Niss Avenue at 2:16 a.m. Saturday and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

•Geoffry Atwell, 67, Akron, was arrested for driving under the influence after emergency medical personnel found him slumped behind the wheel of his car on Route 372 west of Old Holtwood Road, Martic Township, at 2:17 a.m. Saturday.

State police at Lancaster said the vehicle was parked in the eastbound lane of Route 372.

•Zachary Michael Ream, 24, Ephrata, was charged with driving under the influence and summary traffic offenses after his vehicle was stopped at Route 222 and Peach Road at 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, state police at Ephrata reported.

•Shane Brendan Stauffer, 24, Lititz, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence following a traffic stop on Oakridge Drive at 2:24 a.m. Thursday, Manor Township police said. Results of a blood alcohol content test are pending.

•Thomas Vincent Smaldone, 25, Lancaster, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following a traffic stop in the 3400 block of Columbia Ave., Manor Township police said. Smaldone also had marijuana in his pocket, police said. Charges are pending results of a blood alcohol content test.

•Southern Regional Police responded to a report of a suspicious driver at about 1 a.m. Saturday. Police stopped James Lachance, 51, Willow Street, at Route 272 and West Penn Grant Road, Willow Street, when they saw him driving erratically. Lachance was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and traffic violations.

•Matthew D. Kraft, 36, Ephrata, was charged with driving while intoxicated Saturday, Ephrata police said. Kraft was initially stopped for erratic driving on South Reading Road near Niss Avenue at 2:16 a.m., police said.

HARASSMENT: Someone placed tires and plastic utensils in the front yard of a residence in the 3000 block of Hossler Road, Rapho Township, Wednesday night, state police at Ephrata reported.

•Manor Township police were called to a home in the first block of East Main Street, Mountville,  at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday. Two men who live at that address were arrested for harassment.

Police said James Edward Josefik, 51, struck James Junior Eller, 18, in the head with a flashlight and Eller choked Josefik.

DRUG CHARGE: State police at Lancaster reported that Michele Rose Leed, 25, Denver, was found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana and was also under the influence of a controlled substance after a traffic stop at Route 462 and Ranck Avenue at 11:53 a.m. Friday.

Police said charges will be filed.

PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS: Adam M. Jester, 21, Lancaster, was arrested in the first block of Marion Court at 2:05 a.m. Thursday for public drunkenness and criminal mischief after breaking a sink in the Marion Court bathroom, police said.

•Brandon S. Mallin, 18, Lancaster, was arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness in the 100 block of North Queen Street at 9:40 p.m. Friday, police said.

•Andrew R. Heacock, 22, Mountville, was arrested for public drunkenness in the first block of Garden Court at 3:34 a.m. Thursday, police said.

•Evelyn S. Pavon-Hernandez, 34, Lancaster, was arrested for public drunkenness in the 300 block of East Frederick Street at 1:48 a.m. Friday, police said.

•Michael A. Beenick, 43, Lancaster, was arrested for public drunkenness in the first block of West Frederick Street at 10:47 a.m. Thursday, police said.

•Nathan C. Ginter, 28, and Adam Dandrige, 31, both of Lancaster, were arrested for public drunkenness in the first block of West Clay Street at 7:53 a.m. Thursday, police said.

RETAIL THEFTS: Cody Redcay, 18, Denver, Devin Martin, 18, also of Denver and a female juvenile were arrested for shoplifting $64 in merchandise from the Wal-Mart store, 890 E. Main St., Ephrata police said.

The incident happened at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

•Jeanie M. Northwall, 67, Roanoke, Va., was arrested in the 1100 block of Park City Center at 1:24 p.m. Saturday after she took three watches and a scarf, total value $112.97, from a store without paying for the items, police said.

•A 16-year-old boy was arrested in the 400 block of Park City Center at 5:44 a.m. Friday after he took jewelry worth $22 from a store without paying for it, police said.

•A 16-year-old boy was arrested in the 400 block of Park City Center at 4:30 a.m. Friday for taking a sweatshirt valued at $44 from a store without paying for it, police said.

THEFT FROM VEHICLE: The window of a car was smashed and a GPS unit valued at $200 was taken in the 200 block of East Ross Street, city police said. It happened sometime between 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and 10:40 a.m. Thursday, police said.

WARRANTS: Angela M. Martin, 43, Lancaster, was arrested on a bench warrant in the 200 block of College Avenue at 4:51 p.m. Friday and committed to Lancaster County Prison, police said.

•George L. Ortiz, 23, Lancaster, was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the 200 block of North Mulberry Street at 12:44 p.m. Thursday, police said.