Port Allegany woman arrested for lying about child abuse….Smethport man arrested for theft…several DUI and drug possession….Owlett’s bill to protect children affected by parents’ drug abuse now law…
Thursday’s high, 18, Overnight “low”, 22 light snow
FRI-CLOUDY AFTER MORNING SNOW SHOWERS, HIHG 28
FRI NIGHT-PARTLY CLEAR, L0W 1
SAT-MOSTLY SUNNY, WINDY, HIGH 13
SAT NIGHT-CLOUDY, LOW 3
SUN-CLOUDY, HIGH 20
Potter County
Coudersport based state police have arrested a Port Allegany woman for lying about child abuse. Troopers say when they responded to an incident on Hanson Hollow Road on the evening of October 3, 39 year old Rose Bickford made a false report about child abuse. Potter County Children and Youth Services investigated the claim during which Bickford recanted. She has since been charged with making a false report about child abuse and making a false report about an offense which was found to have not occurred.
A Coudersport woman has been cited for speeding after a one-vehicle crash Monday in Allegany Township, Potter County. Heather Jones was going north on the North Hollow Road when her Kia Sportage went off the road on a left hand curve, traveled partially up an embankment before rolling over onto its side. Jones was not hurt.
McKean County
A 30 year old Smethport man has been charged with stealing some automotive diagnostic equipment belonging to a 30 year old Bradford man last weekend. The suspect, Chad Reed, is accused of taking an S-Tool Snap-on Code Reader valued at $4500 and an EZVIZ Security system hard drive valued at $75.00.
State police in Lewis Run are looking for a hit and run vehicle which damaged a semi Monday afternoon I Hamlin Township, McKean County. An unknown unit, continued south on after colliding with a southbound Mack truck driven by Bradley Paulson of Mt. Jewett. The offending vehicle is described as a white Chevrolet truck and would have major front-end damage. Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at Lewis Run.
Region
Several DUI and/or drug possession arrests have been made recently across the region A Secane, PA woman was arrested by state police at Coudersport for drug possession after they stopped her 2016 Ford on East Second Street in Sweden Township on the afternoon of December 10. DUI charges are being filed against 44 year old Gereon Sholl of Mount Aetna, PA whose 2007 Chevrolet was pulled over on the Dingman Run Road in Eulalia Township early November 27.. State police at Lewis Run are charging a 26 year old Bradford woman for drug possession after stopping her 2015 Dodge Stratus on Route
46 early January 15. Troopers at Lewis Run have charged two people for drug possession after they stopped for a disabled motorist on Route 219 just after 6:00 am January 18. Troopers claim the occupants of the 2009 Subaru Legacy a 20 year old Orwigsburg, PA woman and a 21 year old Verona, PA man were found in possession of a controlled substance and related drug paraphernalia.A 58 year old Kane resident is being charged for possessing drugs. A 2011 Mazda was pulled over on Birch Street in Kane Monday morning for traffic violations and the passenger was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance. Police did not reveal his name. Troopers also did not release the name of a 20 Portville, NY driver who was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance and related drug paraphernalia when her 2013 Chevrolet was stopped for traffic violations on Route 44 in Ceres Township late Wednesday night.
State police at Emporium have arrested a 64 year old Renovo man for DUI after stopping his 2009 Ford Econoline on the First Fork Road in Grove Township Wednesday afternoon. The unidentified driver was pulled over after cops received a tip about a drunk driver.
Statewide
Calling it a major step forward in supporting the forgotten victims of the state’s opioid epidemic, Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) today announced his bill to help children of parents struggling with substance abuse disorders has been signed into law. House Bill 253 would establish a task force to focus on the impact of the opioid abuse epidemic on children. Objectives of the task force would include improving the safety, well-being and permanency of substance-exposed infants and other young children adversely affected by their parents’ substance abuse disorders. The task force would also be directed to identify strategies and make short- and long-term recommendations to prioritize the prevention of substance-exposed infants; to improve outcomes for pregnant and parenting women striving to recover from addiction; and to promote the health, safety and permanency of substance-exposed infants and other young children at risk of child abuse and neglect, or placement in foster care due to parental alcohol and drug abuse. According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there were 2,140 infants born in 2018 with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Of all NAS cases, 90% were tested for laboratory evidence of prenatal drug exposure, and 84% of those with completed laboratory tests had a positive lab result. Of those, 85% of the infants tested positive for some form of opioids; 68% for drugs associated with Medication-Assisted Treatment; and 22% for opiates, oxycodone or fentanyl. “These babies are the truly innocent victims of the opioid abuse crisis,” Owlett said. “We have the data that demonstrates how pervasive this problem is, but it’s not worth anything if we don’t use it to help these children.”
The state Health Department reports the number of deaths in Pennsylvania now totals 40,257. Deaths in the Black Forest Broadcasting Service area to date are mostly holding steady.
Cameron 18
Elk 84 (up 1)
McKean 123
Potter 86 (up 2)
Tioga 184 (up 2)
Cattaraugus County in NY state has 205 total deaths reported an increase of 4). Allegany County has held steady at 140 total deaths.