11 Pounds Of Meth, Fentanyl, Guns Seized In Major Berks County Drug Bust: DA 11 Pounds Of Meth, Fentanyl, Guns Seized In Major Berks County Drug Bust: DA
11 Pounds Of Meth, Fentanyl, Guns Seized In Major Berks County Drug Bust: DA Three Reading men were arrested in a major drug bust that turned up 11 pounds of methamphetamine, eight pounds of fentanyl, multiple loaded firearms, and more, authorities said. Selwyn Alcais-Garica, Rashan Brinkley, and Marcial Cooper are all facing a slew of charges following search warrants executed across Reading, leading to the evidential seizures, the Berks County DA's Office announced Monday, Sept. 16. Warrants were executed at 1423 Birch st. in Reading;1615 N.10th St. in Reading; 662 Tulpehocken Street in Reading and 501 Emerson Ave. in Laureldale. Authorities seized …
Man Accused Of Raping 2 Girls At PA Home: DA Man Accused Of Raping 2 Girls At PA Home: DA
Man Accused Of Raping 2 Girls At PA Home: DA A 32-year-old man from Berks County has been arrested in connection with the rape of two girls at a home in Reading, one when she was 11 years old, authorities said on Friday, Sept. 6. Janson G. Paz-Ochoa of Shillington was charged with rape, rape of a child, and multiple other offenses, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office. He was arrested on Aug. 27 and is due to reappear in court on Sept. 13, court records show. Berks County District Attorney’s detectives received a childline referral on April 12 from the state Department of Human Services which reported that a&n…
50 Years After Being Found Frozen In Pennsylvania Cave 'Pinnacle Man' Is Identified 50 Years After Being Found Frozen In Pennsylvania Cave 'Pinnacle Man' Is Identified
50 Years After Being Found Frozen In Pennsylvania Cave 'Pinnacle Man' Is Identified The body of a man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave nearly 50 years ago has been identified, authorities said. The remains of Nicholas Paul Grubb, 27, of Fort Washington, Montgomery County, were discovered in January 1977 by two Appalachian Trail hikers who had ducked inside the cave to escape foul weather, according to the Berks County Coroner which announced the news last week. Grubb has long been known as the “Pinnacle Man,” named after the mountain peak near where his body was found. An autopsy at the time found no signs of foul play and determined that he died from a drug overdose b…
Motorist, 56, Killed In 2-Car Crash In Berks County: Coroner Motorist, 56, Killed In 2-Car Crash In Berks County: Coroner
Motorist, 56, Killed In 2-Car Crash In Berks County: Coroner A 56-year-old man from Schuylkill County was killed in a two-car crash in Berks County, authorities said. Brian T. Strubhar of Pine Grove Township died in the crash at about 5 p.m. on Thursday,  Aug. 29 at 6890 Penn Ave. in Heidelberg Township, according to Berks County Chief Deputy Coroner George Holmes. Cause and manner of death were pending. Check back for updates.
9-County Retail Theft Ring Busted: PA Attorney General 9-County Retail Theft Ring Busted: PA Attorney General
9-County Retail Theft Ring Busted: PA Attorney General Five people involved in a major organized retail theft operation have been charged with targeting stores across nine counties, authorities said. Marlin Polanco, Malik McDonald, Cartier Hardy, Homario Oldacre, and Lorenzo Walters were charged in Dauphin County with corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, and related crimes, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said on Monday, Aug. 26. The total value of stolen goods is estimated to be worth more than $71,000, Henry said. Between February 28 and May 30, the group allegedly stole over-the-counter medications and other health an…
Berks County Expert In Bog Turtles Caught With Child Pornography: DA Berks County Expert In Bog Turtles Caught With Child Pornography: DA
Berks County Expert In Bog Turtles Caught With Child Pornography: DA A 51-year-old man from Berks County has been charged with sexual abuse for possessing child pornography, authorities said. Michael E. Torocco, of Wyomissing, surrendered to detectives on Wednesday, Aug. 21, according to Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams. A search warrant found more than 200 images of child pornography in Torocco's DropBox account, Adams said. As a herpetologist, Torocco is considered a specialist in bog turtles, according to this website. Also an expert in the ecology of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, Torocco has assis­ted in original research on the timber rattl…
Berks County Woman Endangered Children's Welfare: Police Berks County Woman Endangered Children's Welfare: Police
Berks County Woman Endangered Children's Welfare: Police A 34-year-old woman from Berks County was charged with child endangerment in connection with a drug-related incident, authorities said on Tuesday, Aug. 20. After an investigation, Samantha Conrad of Spring Township was arrested. On July 20, Spring Township Police were dispatched to the 1900 block of Van Reed Road for a woman lying on the ground and yelling, police said. The caller stated that neighbors intervened and took custody of her children.  Police arrived and determined the "characteristics were consistent with illicit drug use," they said.
PA Man's Spotted In Child Pornography, Authorities Say PA Man's Spotted In Child Pornography, Authorities Say
PA Man's Spotted In Child Pornography, Authorities Say A 28-year-old man from Reading has been charged with possession of child pornography after sexually explicit images were found on his cellphone, authorities said. Kristopher W. Tanner also was charged with criminal use of a communication facility, corruption of minors, and indecent assault, according to a joint release from the Reading police and Berks County District Attorney. He was identified by investigators who noticed the unique tattoo visible on his right forearm in some of the videos. Additionally, investigators recognized that the background in these digital videos appeared to…
DUI Driver Charged In Crash In Berks County DUI Driver Charged In Crash In Berks County
DUI Driver Charged In Crash In Berks County A 37-year-old driver was charged with drunken driving after a crash in Berks County, authorities said on Wednesday, Aug. 14. On June 19, at 4:40 a.m., Spring Township Police received a call for a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Van Reen Road and Stevens Avenue, Spring Township police said. Thaddeus Keich, the operator of the striking vehicle, showed signs of impairment, police said. After an investigation, Keich was charged with DUI. He also passed through a stop sign, according to court records. A preliminary hearing has been set for Aug. 29.
Raw Milk Recall In Lancaster County Due To E. Coli: PA Dept. Of Agriculture Raw Milk Recall In Lancaster County Due To E. Coli: PA Dept. Of Agriculture
Raw Milk Recall In Lancaster County Due To E. Coli: PA Dept. Of Agriculture A raw milk recall has been issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Meadow View Jerseys brand milk bought between Aug. 5-12 with a sell-by date of Aug. 19 should be thrown away immediately, according to the PA Dept. of Agriculture. It was sold in plastic gallon, quart, pint, and plastic and glass half-gallon jugs. Routine pathogen testing showed the milk was contaminated with E. coli, the department explained.  "Shigatoxin-producing E. coli can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and other illnesses," the dep…
Tornado Watch Shifts, Now Covers These Counties Across NJ, PA As Debby Creeps In Tornado Watch Shifts, Now Covers These Counties Across NJ, PA As Debby Creeps In
Tornado Watch Shifts, Now Covers These Counties Across NJ, PA As Debby Creeps In The National Weather Service has shifted its tornado watch across New Jersey and Pennsylvania as Hurricane Debby creeps in. In New Jersey, the tornado watch is in effect through 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9 and covers Bergen, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties in North Jersey. In Pennsylvania, the tornado watch is issued in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, and Bucks counties. The tornado threat for South Jersey has diminished since the initial watch was issued early Friday morning, which has since been canceled. AccuWeather Th…
Teen Struck Dead By Train Crash Into Car: Berks County Coroner Teen Struck Dead By Train Crash Into Car: Berks County Coroner
Teen Struck Dead By Train Crash Into Car: Berks County Coroner Services are on Saturday, Aug. 10 for a 19-year-old man killed when the car he was riding in was struck by a train in Berks County. Meanwhile, family members are raising money for funeral expenses for Jazavier Phelps-Hines, of Reading. Phelps-Hines died on Saturday, Aug. 3 at about 3:40 p.m. when his car was struck by a train in Tilden Township, according to the Berks County Coroner's Office. "We are heartbroken to share that Jazavier Phelps has passed away unexpectedly in a tragic accident," a relative wrote on this GoFundMe page. "He was a beloved son, grandson, nephew and friend. T…