Westfield man arrested for passing counterfeit bills….Roulette teen cited for harassment…Coudersport man jailed on warrant…Genesee driver slightly hurt avoiding bears on road….attempted break-in at Mansfield AutoZone investigated…Republican lawmaker proposes law to  help small municipalities

Potter County

State police at Mansfield arrested 51 year old Simon Gigee of Westfield for passing bogus $100 bills. When troopers responded to 886 Collins Hill Roads in Bingham Township on July 4th they found Simon  Gigee of Westfield tried to pass a counterfeit $100 bill to Paul Troyer of Bingham Township and had previously passed two fake $100 bills. Gigee was charged with one count  each of theft by deception false impression, attempted theft by deception false impression and receiving stolen property.

A 16 year old Roulette boy has been arrested for harassment by communication. Troopers claim the youth threatened a 38 year old Roulette woman on the afternoon of July 20.

Troopers at Coudersport arrested 66 year old Francis McGarvey of Shinglehouse for simple assault. McGarvey allegedly punched 45 year old Jeffrey Rahr of Alma, NY in the face with a closed fist this past Sunday morning at 215 South Stevens Street Shinglehouse.

A Coudersport man has been charged with simple assault in connection to a domestic violence incident last Saturday night on East Second Street.  Authorities claim 29 year old Charles Baker struck his wife in the face. While investigating, troopers found Baker was wanted on a warrant and was taken to the Potter County Jail to await extradition to another municipality.

Minor injuries were reported for a Genesee driver following a one-car accident just before 9:00 am last Sunday. According to state police, Tonya Gross was going south on North Main Street near the intersection with the Old Colesburg Road when she swerved her 2002 Isuzu Rodeo to avoid two bears crossing the road. The SUV went off the road and hit a posted sign before going into some brush. Gross did not require medical attention.

DUI charges are pending against a 42 year old Greer, SC woman who was stopped by state police on Route  west in Pike Township on June 11. Police say the suspect appeared to be driving her 2005 Ford F-150 XLT under the influence of drugs.

Tioga County

An attempted break-in at the AutoZone in Mansfield just before 10:00 am  on July 9 remains under investigation by state police there. Anyone with information is asked to call state police at 570.724.2151.

Statewide

Filling job vacancies is a challenge in many lines of work these days. State Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) has a solution when it comes to bringing new police officers on board in some of Pennsylvania’s smaller municipalities. Currently, any borough which employs three or more full-time municipal officers and wants to add to its compliment is required to use civil service commissions when looking to do so.  Struzzi says “This is an unnecessary ‘hoop’ through which the municipality must jump because of the time and money it requires. Struzzi has introduced House Bill 2741, which would raise that threshold for mandatory hiring practices from three to 10 officers employed.

Questions about this or any state government issue should be directed to Struzzi’s Indiana district office at 1-724-465-0220.