BFB Headlines (Wednesday April 14, 2021) Coudersport man killed in ATV crash….Student accused of attacking teacher in Austin….Area couple arrested for drug possession……Improper turn causes Elk County Collision…..Three District Attorneys lobby for including new drug found locally as a controlled substance….6.5 million state residents vaccinated already…….
Tuesday’s high, 66;Overnight low, 37
MOSTLY CLOUDY TODAY HIGH 64
LOW TONIGHT OF 33
CLOUDY TOMORROW, A HIGH OF 48.
RAIN AND POSSIBLY SOME SNOWFLAKES TOMORROW NIGHT A LOW OF 40.
THEN AM RAIN AND SOME SNOWFLAKES POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY
HIGH OF 46
OVERNIGHT LOW OF 35.
Potter County
Coudersport base State Police have just released details about a fatal ATV accident occurring on West Main Street in Oswayo Borough Sunday evening. Trooper say that 41 year old Clyde Eck was operating an ATV on Route 244 east of the intersection with Martin Road traveling in the westbound lane. After negotiating a right curve in the road, the machine went onto an embankment off the right side of the highway and began to roll over traveling back onto the road eventually coming to a stop against a guard rail off the south side of the road. During the crash Eck was fully ejected and sustained serious injuries. He was transported by ambulance from the scene to UPMC Cole and subsequently flown by helicopter to UPMC Williamsport where he was pronounced deceased. Authorities allege Eck was driving under the influence at the time of the crash.
A 60 year old Emporium woman has been arrested for DUI after police stopped her 2005 Jeep on East Second Street at Leete Hollow Road in Eulalia Township on the evening of April 7. Police claim Jordan exhibited signs of driving under the influence and was subsequently placed under arrest.
A scattering of rubbish occurring at 3150 Gold road in Genesee township is being probed by State Police at Coudersport. Sometime over the weekend, litterbugs left rubbish on land belonging to Michael Stone of Spencerport. New York. Anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at 814-274-8690.
A 14 year old Port Allegany boy is facing charges of physical harassment for allegedly assaulting a teacher April 9, at around 10:15am in Austin. Troopers assert that the youth struck Scott Easton of Coudersport allegedly yelled profanities inside a classroom filled with other students. He’s now facing charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.
An area couple are being accused of violating drug laws. Derek Glover,27 of Emporium has been charged with harassment, criminal mischief, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia for an incident allegedly taking place Sunday evening on Costello Avenue in Austin. Police explained that Glover and 27 year old Erica Carpin of Austin became involved in an argument which escalated and became physical. Multiple drugs and paraphernalia were allegedly observed inside the residence. Carpin is being charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
McKean County
State Police at Lewis Run have charged 36 year old Christopher Norton of Killbuck New York for violating a protection from abuse order. Authorities allege Norton sent a harassing text message last Saturday to 24 year old Sarah Norton of Port Allegany. Following arraignment Norton was committed to the McKean County Jail.
Troopers at Ridgway are continuing to investigate a theft occurring on Tuesday morning when a victim’s ex- boyfriend used her account information to pay a bill.
No one was hurt in a collision Tuesday afternoon on the Million Dollar Highway in Fox Township Elk County. According to Ridgway based state police, the collision occurred as Michael McClintick of Brockway turned left from Route 948 onto Route 255 and failed to yield to a Chrysler 200 driven by 84 year old George Bauer of St. Mary’s. Both drivers and Bauer’s passenger his 86 year old wife Gloria were using seatbelts
Two teenage passengers were slightly hurt ine one vehicle mishap occurring Monday afternoon in Ridgeway Township, elk County, according to State Police at Ridgeway 18 year old Kylie Earle of Ridgway was making a left curve on Forestry Road 135 west of Bingham Road when she swerved her Ford Expedition to miss a deer which had come on to the highway. The SUV went off the pavement and struck a boulder on the south berm. Earl was not hurt however three passengers a 16 year old girl from Ridgway and a 16 year old boy from St. Mary’s along with 18 year old Jaylin Dilley of Ridgway declined treatment for minor injuries.
Region
Cameron County District Attorney Paul Malizia, Elk County District Attorney Thomas Coppolo and McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer jointly urge lawmakers to list the drug Etizolam as a Schedule I controlled substance in Pennsylvania.
The three District Attorneys each wrote to various legislators and others to notify them that this drug has been seen in this part of Pennsylvania in the last several months, first discovered by police in our area in St Mary’s in October of 2020.
DA Malizia quoted from an expert his office has retained who said that Etizolam is “ten (10) times more potent than Diazepam or Valium on a milligram per milligram basis. It is not authorized by the FDA for medical use in the United States and is not considered a controlled substance in the State of Pennsylvania. It is primarily purchased via the internet and has emerged as a dangerous chemical on the illicit drug market in the United States causing extensive morbidity and mortality. In the U.S. it is unsafe for human use at any dose.”
His office is currently prosecuting a case in which school children were found to be significantly under the influence in their school after eating an item that looked like a popular candy but which was later found to contain Etizolam.
Elk County DA Coppolo reiterated DA Malizia’s comments and stressed that he has received a DEA bulletin from 2016 highlighting the danger Etizolam poses. He feared that a child may die from unknowingly ingesting a substance that contains this drug. He stressed that prosecutors can only use the crimes code to prosecute cases and drug crimes pose a particular difficulty because new illicit drugs are introduced by dealers quicker than laws can be amended to include them. He expressed concern that, 5 years after that DEA bulletin was published, this drug continues to evade classification as a Controlled Substance.
McKean County DA Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer urged that Etizolam be added as a controlled substance so that prosecutors can use the primary drug statute to punish dealers who provide this substance. She advises that the statute cannot be applied if the drug is not a controlled substance or other substance specifically listed in the act. She warns that she faced a similar impediment in prosecuting a 2015 overdose death in which the drug that caused a young Bradford man’s death was not listed as a controlled substance at the time of the death. Because of that, the prosecution had fewer crimes that it could enforce in the case- a real travesty for a family who has suffered such a significant loss.
She wrote to lawmakers: “Just like you, we are constantly trying to stay on top of what the latest substance is, particularly when it is a potent drug that is very likely to cause death. This is because of our obligations as prosecutors and also as human beings who, like you, are merely trying to prevent untimely loss of life which, more often than not, seems like it could wipe out a generation of young people.”
Etizolam was confiscated during an arrest by Bradford City Police in December, 2020.
The Three District Attorneys, working closely with Attorney General Special Agent Fred Myers, are monitoring the presence of Etizolam in this part of Pennsylvania.
The 3 Prosecutors urge: On behalf of law enforcement and other citizens of our respective counties, most importantly children, we urge you to consider legislation that would add Etizolam to the list of substances under Schedule I.
Statewide
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 14, there were 5,730 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,087,792. Please note, a new lab began submitting data to the department yesterday. A total of 1,101 positive antigen test results that were collected more than three days ago and ranging back to mid-January, were uploaded. Eighty-five percent of these newly identified cases are in Allegheny County. Here in the Black Forest Broadcasting service area by McKean County now has 2486 confirmed cases. Tioga County 2341; Elk 1463; Potter 876; and Cameron 190. Across the border in New York State Cattaraugus County now has 5027 confirmed cases and Allegany County 3133.
There are 2,541 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 530 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 3,700 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. The current 14-day average is also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020. However, the moving average of number of hospitalized patients has started to increase.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of April 2 – April 8 stood at 9.5%.
As of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, there were 50 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 25,522 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
- According to the CDC, as of Wednesday morning, April 14, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 40.1% of its eligible population, and the state ranks 10th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population.
- According to the CDC, as of Wednesday morning, April 14, Pennsylvania ranks 5th among all 50 states for total doses administered.
- Vaccine providers have administered 6,600,130 total vaccine doses as of Wednesday, April 14.
- 2,488,948 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 96,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
- 1,862,642 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
- 4,351,590 people have received at least their first dose.
This week, a total of 7,180,370 doses will have been allocated through April 17:
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- 296,620 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
- 303,110 second doses will have been allocated this week.
To date, 6,600,130 doses total have been administeredl through April 14:
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- First/single doses: 4,351,950 administered
- Second doses: 2,488,948 administered
Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home, even if fully vaccinated. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
There are 141,593 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.
There are 4,251,130 individuals who have tested negative to date.
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 69,952 resident cases of COVID-19, and 14,513 cases among employees, for a total of 84,465 at 1,586 distinct facilities in all 67 counties Approximately 27,031 of the total cases are among health care workers.