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Monday, feb 17

Jillian Pikora

Assistant Managing Editor

jpikora@dailyvoice.com

Jillian is an editor and reporter based out of Pennsylvania's capital city of Harrisburg. She has a degree in Political Science and is a former political campaign manager. Over the past decade, she has worked as a staff reporter and freelance writer at Sisters Magazine, The Tempest, Huffington Post, CairoScene, and several other outlets. Prior to joining Daily Voice, Jillian worked as a digital news editor at Hearst's local NBC affiliate, WGAL News 8. She currently manages and reports stories in Pennsylvania for Daily Voice.

Jillian Pikora's Contributions

Police & Fire

Lancaster Man Uses Toddler As 'Pawn' While Resisting Arrest: Police A Lancaster man is accused of using a toddler as a "pawn" while resisting arrest after trapping a victim in a bedroom and preventing them from leaving, Manheim Township police announced. Derreck Michael Wilkins, 26, was charged with endangering the welfare of children, false imprisonment, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and harassment, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Jan. 28. The incident occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, 2025, at an apartment on the 1900 block of Oregon Pike, police said. According to the af…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

News

PA Carnival Boss Who Secretly Preyed On Kids Sentenced: Court Docs A Pennsylvania carnival operator who ran games at local fairs while hiding his dark past as a convicted child predator has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars, court records reveal. Richard Lee Ridley, 54, of Penn Township, pleaded guilty to felony indecent assault of a child under 13 and felony corruption of minors, Cumberland County court documents show. Judge Jessica E. Brewbaker handed Ridley a 10-to-20-year prison term for violating Megan’s Law by failing to report his employment, plus an additional 5-to-10 years for sexually assaulting a young girl between 2018 and 2022, the record…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

News

Armed Robbery Of 11-Year-Old Near Elementary School Lands Lancaster Teen In State Prison A Lancaster teen who lured an 11-year-old to a late-night meeting and pulled a gun on them during a botched robbery near a local elementary school has been sentenced to state prison, authorities announced on Feb. 14, 2025. Jadriel Perez-Quinones, 17, of the 800 block of South Duke Street, was sentenced to two-and-a-half to six years in state prison after pleading guilty on Jan. 27 to robbery, firearms not to be carried without a license, and possession of a firearm by a minor, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. The attempted robbery happened on Feb. 16, 2024, outs…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

Police & Fire

Ex-Boyfriend Drives 700+ Miles, Kills 2 Dogs, Burns Down Bensalem Home With 6 Inside: Police A Michigan man torched a Pennsylvania home while six people were inside—forcing some to jump from second-story windows to survive—after his ex-girlfriend started a new online relationship, authorities announced on Monday, Feb. 17. Harrison Jones, of Rockford, Michigan, was arrested for six counts of attempted homicide, arson, and related charges after allegedly setting fire to a Bensalem Township house in the early hours of Monday, Feb. 10, according to Bensalem police. Flames swallowed the two-story home on the 5200 block of Merganser Way around 5:22 a.m., leaving it in ruins. Six adults m…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

Police & Fire

Armed Man Demands Police ‘Shoot Me’ In Harrisburg Parking Garage Standoff A heavily armed man repeatedly begged Harrisburg police officers to "shoot me" during a tense standoff inside a downtown parking garage, authorities announced on Monday, Feb. 17. The dramatic encounter began when officers responded to a trespassing complaint at the garage, where employees reported a man refusing to leave, police said. When officers arrived, the man concealed himself in a stairwell and claimed he was armed, according to the department. As officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, the man allegedly ignored commands and continued making movements as if he was reaching f…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

Police & Fire

Driver Disfigured In Mechanicsburg DUI Crash By Man With BAC Over 4 Times Legal Limit: Police A Mechanicsburg driver was left disfigured after a horrifying crash caused by a drunk driver with a staggering .326% BAC—more than four times Pennsylvania’s legal limit—Lower Allen Township police said. Richard Joseph Luedecke, 56, is wanted for aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI after the violent collision at Main Street and Lisburn Road on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 5:23 p.m., police said. The victim, suffering a severe head injury, required extensive facial reconstruction and plastic surgeries, police said. Luedecke, found highly intoxicated at the scene, later had blood test results conf…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

Police & Fire

Alcohol Poisoning Of Child Leads To Arrest Of Bucks County Man: Police A Hilltown Township man is facing charges after a child was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, police announced on Sunday, Feb. 16. Brian William Vanderleeuw, 42, was arrested on Feb. 12 after authorities investigated an Oct. 26, 2024 incident on Middle Road in Hilltown. Vanderleeuw supplied liquor to the minor, leading to the hospitalization, the police said. Vanderleeuw is charged with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of children, misdemeanor corruption of minors, and misdemeanor furnishing liquor to minors, according to court records. His preliminary arraignment details and bail in…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

News

126K+ Lose Power, 1 Killed, Flights Grounded, Trains Delayed, Roads Closed As Winds Slam PA Fierce winds ripped through Pennsylvania from Sunday, Feb. 16, into Monday, Feb. 17, toppling trees, knocking out power to 126,000 people, shutting down roads, and causing deadly destruction. A woman was killed when a tree crushed her car in Philadelphia, flights were grounded, trains delayed, and thousands remain in the dark as crews scramble to repair the damage. Widespread Power Outages Powerful winds up to 60 miles per hour knocked out electricity for 126,000 PECO customers at its peak, with 42,210 still without power as of 11:45 a.m. Monday, according to the company. PECO reported 1,642…

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

Police & Fire

Dog Poisoned In Gettysburg Area Sparks State Police Investigation A disturbing case of dog poisoning in the Gettysburg area is under investigation, Pennsylvania State Police announced. Troopers from the Gettysburg Patrol Unit rushed to a report of animal cruelty at 2630 Shippensburg Road late Thursday night, Feb. 13 at 11:41 p.m., according to the release. The dog's condition remains undisclosed, but police confirmed they are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact Pennsylvania State Police Gettysburg at 717-334-8111.

by Jillian Pikora

02/17/2025

News

Guatemalan Man Killed In Rainy Night Crash In Delco: PA State Police A pedestrian was struck and killed on a dark, rainy stretch of W. Baltimore Pike in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania State Police announced. Jose L. Pelico Gonon, 35, original of Guatemalan but most recently of Media, was fatally hit by an Acura RDX driven by Christopher Conley, 22, of Havertown, at approximately 8:21 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, according to the release. Gonon had crossed the northbound lanes onto a raised concrete island dividing the highway before stepping into the southbound left lane, failing to yield to oncoming traffic, investigators said. Conley, tr…

by Jillian Pikora

02/16/2025

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