Veterans Affairs
vehicles damaged
Pottsville police are investigating a criminal mischief incident that was reported to their department about 5:55 a.m. Monday involving two vehicles owned by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
The vehicles were parked at the Schuylkill Medical Mall, 700 Schuylkill Manor Road, when the incident occurred sometime between 2 a.m. when an officer was at the area on patrol until it was discovered about 5:40 a.m.
Damage to the vehicles — a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Ford Escape — included broken windshields, broken side and rear windows, broken lights and door handles, smashed dash boards, caved-in roofs and other major damage to the engines resulting in thousands of dollars in damage, police said.
The investigation is currently ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call the Pottsville Bureau of Police at 570-622-1234, Ext. 332.
Police said the caller’s identity will be kept confidential if requested.
Man jailed after
attacking father
Pottsville police are investigating an incident that was reported to their department about 8 a.m. Friday.
Police said Edwin Montero-Rivera, 48, of Pottsville, reported that he had been stabbed by his son, Edwin Montero-Cartagena, 24, of Pottsville, about 8 p.m. Thursday at their 702 W. Market St. address.
Police said Montero-Rivera reported that he and his son had been involved in a verbal argument and during the course of this argument, Montero-Cartagena became physical and began assaulting him with strikes to his head, before using his forearm to strangle him from behind.
Montero-Rivera was able to free himself, but Montero-Cartagena got a kitchen knife and came back after Montero-Rivera, at which point Montero-Cartagena stabbed Montero-Rivera once in the upper left chest area, police said, adding that Montero-Rivera sought medical attention at a local facility and was released following treatment.
Police said a criminal complaint was prepared charging Montero-Cartagena with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangering another person and harassment.
The man was taken into custody at the home without incident, arraigned before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $20,000 bail.
Police: Man shoves
woman, officer
A man was jailed after being arrested by Pottsville police after a domestic dispute at 245 Nichols St. that was reported about 11:50 a.m. Sunday.
During the call for assistance, police said, a woman could be heard inside the home yelling “stop” and when officers arrived, they found Justin M. Koons, 26, and a 21-year-old Pottsville woman inside.
The woman reported that Koons had become irate with her and smashed her phone on the floor and threw her against the wall two times before officers arrived.
When interviewed, police said, Koons said he and the woman verbally argued and that she had been telling him to stay away and that “it got a little physical.”
Police said that during the course of the interviews at the scene, Koons was agitated and making irrational statements to officers and that his behavior escalated after he and the woman had been separated and officers explained to the woman how to apply for an emergency Protection from Abuse order if she wished to do so.
Koons, police said, began threatening the officers on scene and challenging them to physically fight him.
The man did not respond to attempts by officers to calm him down and ignored repeated verbal commands to cease his violent behavior, police said, adding that Koons then pushed an officer in an attempt to instigate an altercation and was physically restrained and secured.
Koons was subsequently charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $25,000 bail, police said.
Woman charged
for blocking road
ELIZABETHVILLE — A 72-year-old Lake Ariel woman was charged with disorderly conduct by state police at Lykens after an incident near 323 Spruce St. in this Dauphin County community between 6 and 8 a.m. Feb. 16.
Police said MaryAnn Mattis will have to answer to the charge before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Margerum, Elizabethville.
Police said borough officials contacted them saying Mattis had been creating a hazardous condition by obstructing a portion of the roadway. Police said the woman was charged after they were called to the area for several similar incidents in the past.
Pottsville woman
charged in stop
PORT CARBON — A 22-year-old Pottsville woman was cited by Port Carbon police after a traffic stop near 329 First St. about 10 p.m. Sunday.
Police said Ashley N. Bainbridge, 1342 Seneca St., was charged with driving a vehicle without an official Certificate of Inspection, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and drivers required to be licensed.
The charges will be filed with Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon.
Police said the violations were discovered after a vehicle driven by Bainbridge was stopped for having an expired inspection sticker. The woman’s vehicle was towed from the scene as a result of the stop, police said.