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Reading, PA

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…
PA Dad ID'd After Fatal Motorcycle Crash On I-81: State Police PA Dad ID'd After Fatal Motorcycle Crash On I-81: State Police
PA Dad ID'd After Fatal Motorcycle Crash On I-81: State Police The motorcyclist killed in a crash on Interstate 81 was identified by the Pennsylvania State Police and his family on Monday, Sept. 2. Glen "Jose" Leon Veliz, 38, of Reading, died at the scene of the crash near mile mark 82 on Interstate 81 South in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County at 5:16 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 31, PSP Jonestown Trooper Jordan Seiler detailed in the release. Traffic was detoured at exit 85 in South Hanover Township, reopening around 9:19 p.m., according to a statement by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler and as Daily Voice previ…
The Top 5 Best Places To Retire Are All In Pennsylvania: Study The Top 5 Best Places To Retire Are All In Pennsylvania: Study
The Top 5 Best Places To Retire Are All In Pennsylvania: Study A new study ranking the best cities to retire has Pennsylvania taking six of the best 10 locales, including all five of the top 5.  Harrisburg is the best place in the country to spend your twilight years, according to US News & World Report. Reading, Lancaster, Scranton, and Allentown ranked second through fifth in the study respectively. Pittsburgh finished 10th, with Philadelphia coming in at 13th.  Researchers used a formula that examined the cost of living, happiness, quality of health care, taxes, and desirability of 150 cities across the country to create the list. They…
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…
Uncle, Grandparents Locked 6-Year-Old With Dirty Diaper In Room For Days Before Death: Berks DA Uncle, Grandparents Locked 6-Year-Old With Dirty Diaper In Room For Days Before Death: Berks DA
Uncle, Grandparents Locked 6-Year-Old With Dirty Diaper In Room For Days Before Death: Berks DA Authorities in Berks County have charged the grandparents and uncle of a 6-year-old girl who died of dehydration earlier in May, they announced Monday, Aug. 5. The victim was in the care of her grandmother, Jazmine A. Rodriguez, her grandfather, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., and her uncle, Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., in Reading when she died of dehydration and prolonged exposure to high ambient temperature due to child neglect on May 28, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said. All three were charged with Criminal Homicide, Unlawful Restraint/Serious Bodily Injury, Fa…
Felon From NJ Charged With Child Rape In Lebanon, PA: Affidavit Felon From NJ Charged With Child Rape In Lebanon, PA: Affidavit
Felon From NJ Charged With Child Rape In Lebanon, PA: Affidavit A New Jersey man with a felony criminal record in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey has been arrested on child rape charges police announced on Thursday, Aug. 1.  Jose Enrique "Enrico" Rivas, 47 of Newark, NJ, was arrested in New Jersey on a warrant issued by Lebanon City Police on Wednesday, July 31, as detailed in the police release. Rivas will be extradited to Lebanon, PA, the police explained.  A 13-year-old girl's guardian made the ChildLine call after the girl told them "I woke to his fingers in me and then he put his pp in me" and "I was just raped and he is still upstairs,…
Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car In Levittown: PSP Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car In Levittown: PSP
Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car In Levittown: PSP The 16-year-old who climbed a fence at Berks County detention center over the weekend has been arrested, state police said Thursday, July 11. Dustin Lomas was taken into custody in Falls Township on Wednesday evening, July 10, troopers said. He was allegedly "an occupant" in a stolen car. Police said they took him to the Bucks County Youth Center. Lomas and 18-year-old Tyler Luntz escaped from Abraxas Academy in Morgantown on Saturday, July 6, troopers said previously. Luntz was arrested on Monday night, July 8 at a carnival in Tullytown where police said he was trying to blend in with …
PA Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG PA Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG
PA Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG A 56-year-old Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to prison for sexual assault of a girl that began more than 20 years ago, officials said. Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez, 56, of Reading, was arrested last year after a grand jury investigation where sexual assault charges were recommended against more than a dozen members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith, Attorney General Michelle Henry said. Ayala-Velasquez will serve 14 to 46 years in prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to five felony counts, including rape of an unconscious person, Henry said. He was sentenced Wednesday…
Reading Man ID'd Following Fatal Lebanon Crash Involving 11 People: Police Reading Man ID'd Following Fatal Lebanon Crash Involving 11 People: Police
Reading Man ID'd Following Fatal Lebanon Crash Involving 11 People: Police A 30-year-old Reading man has been identified following a crash that sent 11 people to the hospital, police announced on Friday, May 31.  Marilus Mousardy died at the scene of a crash between two minivans at the intersection of State Drive and Schaeffer Road at 4:56 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, according to the South Lebanon Township Police.  Their preliminary investigation revealed the following: "A mini-van containing at least nine people was struck while it was in the travel lane of an oncoming mini-van occupied by 3 persons." They noted that: "All other occupants in both vehicl…
International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting PA Woman On Brand-New Peacock Reality Show International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting PA Woman On Brand-New Peacock Reality Show
International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting PA Woman On Brand-New Peacock Reality Show A Pennsylvania woman will be dating massive, international soccer stars on a brand-new Peacock dating show. The twist? She has no idea how famous they are back home. "Love Undercover" will follow five male athletes who must leave their lavish lives behind to take on secret identities in dating single women in America, all completely unsuspecting of their fame overseas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Estefani Mendez (@stef.p.mendez) Among them Estefani Mendez, of Reading. Mendez and other women will be dating Premier L…
2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Pennsylvania 2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Pennsylvania
2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Pennsylvania A 2.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Pennsylvania Friday, April 19. According to the USGS, the quake happened at 8 p.m. one kilometer northeast of Lincoln Park (Berks County). Residents of Catasauqua, Reading, Wernersville, and even one in Potomac, MD all reported feeling the earthquake. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, a 1.3 magnitude quake was reported at 7:50 a.m. 6 kilometers southeast of Califon, apparently an aftershock stemming from the 4.8 magnitude earthquake earlier this month.
Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA
Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA The Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams has ruled that the two officers who shot an Air Force Veteran and dad of six dead were "justified," according to a release on Thursday, April 18. The DA explained that the two officers encountered 50-year-old Damon Scott Stern Sr. when they responded to his home for a call of a suicidal man with a knife in the 400 block of Windsor Street, Reading at 3:37 a.m. on Monday, March 25, 2024. The officers met with the caller on the front porch and the following happened the DA said: "Stern appeared from inside the home and …
Pennsylvania Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: DA Pennsylvania Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: DA
Pennsylvania Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: DA A Reading man was convicted on multiple charges including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child in a Lancaster County court this week, according to the District Attorney's Office.  Joel Villarreal, 44, was found guilty after one hour of jury deliberations, prosecutors said in a release.  Authorities said Villarreal abused a victim "on numerous occasions" between 2018 and 2020, when she was between 7 and 9 years old. The assaults happened at two addresses in Lancaster while he was "n a position to care for the victim," the DA's Office said.  “(The vict…
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County For the third time in four days, a Pennsylvania Lottery player in Berks County has won a major prize.  A Powerball player matched five of the six balls pulled in the Monday, April 4 drawing to win $100,000, according to state gaming officials.  South Mountain Beer Distributing at 5104 Penn Avenue in Wernersville will receive a $500 bonus for selling the lucky ticket, Lottery reps said.  The win comes just days after two back-to-back million-dollar prizes were awarded in Reading: one to a Match 6 player at the 4630 Perkiomen Avenue Rite Aid on Friday and the other t…
Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million
Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million A Pennsylvania Lottery player in Reading won $1 million playing the Powerball on Saturday, March 30, state gaming officials say.  The lucky winner matched five of the six balls pulled in the Saturday drawing, according to lotto reps.  The win came just one day after a Match 6 player won $1.07 million at a Reading Rite Aid.  The vendor, Paulino’s Deli & Grocery at 555 North 9th St., will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket.  Winners are not know until they claim their prize and their ticket is validated. Winners have up to one year from the draw…
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire Pennsylvania Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire A Pennsylvania Lottery player in Reading stopped by a Rite Aid last week and walked out a million dollars richer.  The lucky winner earned the jackpot $1,070,000 prize playing the Match 6 on Friday, March 29, according to state gaming officials.  The Rite Aid at 4630 Perkiomen Avenue will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning slip, they added.  Winners are not know until they claim their prize and their ticket is validated. Winners have up to one year from the drawing date to file a claim, but winning tickets should be immediately signed on the back.  Mo…
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA The alleged gunman in a deadly 2012 Reading shooting is in police custody in New Jersey, according to Berks County prosecutors.  Vallis L. Slaughter, of Jersey City, is being held in Hudson County pending his extradition to Pennsylvania, said the District Attorney's Office on Monday, March 25.  Investigators believe he killed 34-year-old Julio A. Torres on March 24, 2012. Torres was shot while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the West Reading Diner after a confrontation with suspects, the DA's Office said.  Jomaine Case was eventually convicted in connectio…
Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (UPDATED) Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (UPDATED)
Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (Updated) Update: The Berks County District Attorney's Office has identified the man as 50-year-old Damon S. Stern.  Reading police officers said they killed a man who was armed with a knife early Monday morning, March 25.  Authorities were called to the 400 block of Windsor Street around 3:45 a.m. for reports of a "male armed with a knife making suicidal threats," the department said in a release.  Police said they commanded the man to drop the knife, "however, the male ignored those commands and moved towards the officers," the release says.  They shot him and he succumbe…
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop A New Jersey man was shot and killed at an I-78 truck stop in Upper Bern Township early Friday morning, March 22, according to Pennsylvania State Police.  James Alexander Hilton, 40, of Southampton, was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.  Investigators said Hilton was helping another driver park his truck at Love's Travel Stop around 2:45 a.m. He and another truck driver got into an argument which led to the shooting, troopers said.  The suspect fled the scene in his truck but was pulled over near Exit 40 and arrested at 3:30 a.m., according to state police. Author…
Quintet From PA, NC Nabbed By Teaneck Detectives With Three Kilos Of Coke Off NJ Turnpike Quintet From PA, NC Nabbed By Teaneck Detectives With Three Kilos Of Coke Off NJ Turnpike
Quintet From PA, NC Nabbed By Teaneck Detectives With Three Kilos Of Coke Off NJ Turnpike Teaneck police seized three kilos of cocaine along with three men from Pennsylvania and two from North Carolina during a traffic stop. Two vehicles traveling together were stopped by township detectives near the Glenpointe complex just off the New Jersey Turnpike during a drug investigation, Teaneck Police Chief Andrew McGurr said. The 6½ pounds of coke had an estimated street value of about $60,000, the chief said. Taken into custody, he said, were Elias Reyes-Diaz, 42, Nelson Ramos-Claudio, 29, and Osvaldo Reyes-Jimenez, 28, all of Reading, PA, and Gastonia, NC residents Ramon Pumarol-Ro…
Drag Queen Story Hour Returns To Lancaster, County Commissioner NOT Happy Drag Queen Story Hour Returns To Lancaster, County Commissioner NOT Happy
Drag Queen Story Hour Returns To Lancaster, County Commissioner NOT Happy A Reading man who's a "professional drag entertainer" will be dressing up as a woman to read children's stories at the Lancaster Public Library — and a public official is speaking out against it.  Christopher Paul Paolini has been dressing up as Miss Amie Vanité for professional events for over 20 years and began including children's story hours in 2018, according to social media and the library.  Another Reading Pride 2022 Photo Dump!! 📸: Keeb Photography LLC Posted by Amie Vanité on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 Paolini has been a trustee at the West Read…
90-Year-Old Reading Man Dies After Lancaster Crash: Officials 90-Year-Old Reading Man Dies After Lancaster Crash: Officials
90-Year-Old Reading Man Dies After Lancaster Crash: Officials A Reading man died from his injuries following a two-car crash in Lancaster County, state troopers say.  It happened near Good's Feed Mill, 949 Dry Tavern Road in Brecknock Township, on Jan. 22, according to the police report.  Donald F. Swavely, 90, pulled out of the Good's parking lot when a southbound Jeep Compass struck his Hyundai Sonata, authorities said. Swavely's car hit a guide rail on the north side of the road and came to a rest, police wrote.  The 28-year-old woman and her 11-month-old daughter in the Jeep were not harmed, but Swavely was taken to Reading Hospita…
Reading Man Who Shot FBI Agents Convicted: USDOJ Reading Man Who Shot FBI Agents Convicted: USDOJ
Reading Man Who Shot FBI Agents Convicted: Usdoj Rafael Vega-Rodriguez "sealed his own fate" when he opened fire on three FBI agents in Reading four years ago, says the US Attorney's Office.  The 41-year-old was convicted Friday, Feb. 2 for three counts of attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer and related offenses, federal prosecutors wrote in a release.  Authorities said Vega-Rodriguez was wanted for a state parole violation when the trio of FBI agents spotted him on West Greenwich Street on March 1, 2020.  When the agents tried to stop him, authorities said Vega-Rodriguez drew a handgun from his…
$150K Powerball Ticket Sold In Reading $150K Powerball Ticket Sold In Reading
$150K Powerball Ticket Sold In Reading A Turkey Hill shopper in Reading got six figures richer over the weekend playing Powerball, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery.  Officials said the lucky player matched four of the five white balls pulled plus the red Powerball to win $150,000 in the Saturday, Jan. 20 drawing. The Turkey Hill at 2001 Kutztown Road is slated to receive a $500 bonus check for vending the winning ticket.  It's the first Pennsylvania Lottery winner of the year for Berks County, according to the state website.  The winner is not known until they step forward to claim their prize and …
Snow Emergencies Declared Across PA Ahead Of Storm Snow Emergencies Declared Across PA Ahead Of Storm
Snow Emergencies Declared Across PA Ahead Of Storm Officials are advising residents across southeastern and central Pennsylvania to take caution ahead of the snowstorm predicted for Friday, Jan. 19, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.  Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia, and parts of lower Bucks and Montgomery counties are under a winter storm warning as of 5 p.m. Thursday. In Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton, and upper Bucks and Montgomery counties, a winter weather advisory is in place.  NWS's Mount Holly, New Jersey station says snow will begin to fall around 4 to 7 a.m. …
New Forecast: Increased Snowfall Totals Expected, Arctic Temps To Follow Northeast Storm New Forecast: Increased Snowfall Totals Expected, Arctic Temps To Follow Northeast Storm
New Forecast: Increased Snowfall Totals Expected, Arctic Temps To Follow Northeast Storm Newly-released forecast maps show parts of the region could see up to six inches of snow in the end-of-week storm. Intermittent snow is expected to begin between 4 and 7 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19, with the heaviest amounts falling in the afternoon, the National Weather Service said. Snow will fall at about 0.5 inches per hour and will taper by the evening, with temps in the upper 20s and low 30s, the NWS said. SNOWFALL PREDICTIONS The areas expected to get 4 to 6 inches are Trenton, Long Branch, Allentown, and Philadelphia. Reading, Vineland, Parsippany and Toms River are expected to get 3 to …
Man Exposes Genitals At Pennsylvania Sonic Drive-Thru, Police Allege Man Exposes Genitals At Pennsylvania Sonic Drive-Thru, Police Allege
Man Exposes Genitals At Pennsylvania Sonic Drive-Thru, Police Allege A customer at an Elverson Sonic is accused of exposing himself to a drive-thru worker, say Caernarvon police.  Michael Morris, 31, of Reading, is charged with corruption of minors, unlawful contact, indecent exposure, open lewdness, and disorderly conduct, the department wrote in a release.  It happened at the 850 Crossings Boulevard location on Oct. 16 last year, according to police.  Court records show the 31-year-old was unable to post his $10,000 bond after his arraignment Dec. 4. He is scheduled to appear in court again for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 16. 
Man Admits To Filming Child Rapes In Multiple Counties, Lancaster DA Says Man Admits To Filming Child Rapes In Multiple Counties, Lancaster DA Says
Man Admits To Filming Child Rapes In Multiple Counties, Lancaster DA Says A man has admitted to raping a child in his care and filming it, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announce on Monday, Jan. 8.  On Wednesday, Jan. 3, Arturo Aleman, 47, of the 100 block of Green Street, Lancaster, admitted to raping a child in his care in Lancaster and Berks counties from 2016 through 2022.  When the girl was just 14 years old she "disclosed the abuse to Lancaster City Bureau of Police Detective Jessica Higgins, who began her investigation in Oct. 2022," the DA explained.  The abuse happened from when the girl was approximately 8 years old…
Reading Police Officer Found Dead On New Year's Eve Reading Police Officer Found Dead On New Year's Eve
Reading Police Officer Found Dead On New Year's Eve A 28-year-old Reading police officer was found dead in her home on New Year's Eve, according to her obituary shared by her Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, #9.  Courtney P. Dupree, a Reading native, was found on Sunday in her Wyomissing home, as stated in her obituary. Details about her passing have not been released.  The 2013 Muhlenberg High School graduate went on to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and West Virginia University, according to her social media. Courtney held various jobs over the years, but her dream was alway to have a career as a police officer, some…
Top 5 Best Places To Retire In US Are ALL In Pennsylvania: Study Says Top 5 Best Places To Retire In US Are ALL In Pennsylvania: Study Says
Top 5 Best Places To Retire In US Are ALL In Pennsylvania: Study Says The seven of the best places to retire in America in 2024 are all in Pennsylvania, according to a new study by US News & World Report.  U.S. News analyzed data about 150 of the largest metropolitan areas in America to see if they meet the needs and expectations of retirees, and the top five on the list are all in the Keystone State! The study's criteria included "the happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and health care quality," according to the company's website. You can learn all about its methodology by clicking here.  Here's the top five: Harri…
Reading Worker Embezzled Thousands From Lancaster Co. Employer, Police Say Reading Worker Embezzled Thousands From Lancaster Co. Employer, Police Say
Reading Worker Embezzled Thousands From Lancaster Co. Employer, Police Say A Reading man faces multiple felony charges after authorities say he embezzled $16,000 from his employer.  Timothy Beegle, 29, is accused of stealing from a business on the 300 block of Stevens Road in East Cocalico Township, according to police.  He was arraigned on charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, and related counts and held on $30,000 bail, court records show.  Beegle is due back in court for his preliminary hearing on Dec. 1.