A Few Clouds 37°
Tag:

Ephrata Police

Police & Fire
$1,200 'Political Ring' Stolen From Ephrata Jewelry Store Lands Lancaster Man Charges $1,200 'Political Ring' Stolen From Ephrata Jewelry Store Lands Lancaster Man Charges
Terry Weitzel, 75, Charged In $1,200 Ring Theft A Lancaster County man accused of stealing a $1,200 sterling silver ring commemorating a political candidate has been arrested, Ephrata police announced on Thursday, Dec. 26. Terry Lee Weitzel, 75, was charged with felony retail theft in connection with the Dec. 12 incident at Parkhill Jewelry on West Main Street in Ephrata. Surveillance footage captured Weitzel stealing the ring, police said. While he initially denied the accusations, authorities stated that Weitzel admitted to the theft after learning about the video evidence. The ring has since been returned to the police. Weitze…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Cause Of Ephrata Man's Fatal Series Of Crashes Into Cocalico Creek Revealed Cause Of Ephrata Man's Fatal Series Of Crashes Into Cocalico Creek Revealed
Ephrata's Marlin Fausnacht Died Before Crashing Into Creek New details have been released after a man crashed his car into Cocalico Creek. Marlin Fausnacht, 77 of the 800 block of Pointview Avenue,  Ephrata, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash into the creek at 6:18 a.m., according to the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.  He was initially thought to have had a medical event before driving his Toyota Corolla off the 100 block of Old Mill Road in the borough. He went on to strike a pedestrian crossing sign, then slammed into a fence all before "going over an embankment into the Cocalico Creek.," a witness told the authorities. T…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Central PA Man Accused Of Tampering Evidence In Child Porn Investigation Central PA Man Accused Of Tampering Evidence In Child Porn Investigation
Central PA Man Accused Of Tampering Evidence In Child Porn Investigation A Denver man has been charged with tampering evidence in a child pornography investigation in Ephrata, authorities announced on Wednesday, Oct. 18.  Brian Christopher Robinson was under investigation after a tip that he may have downloaded child pornography was sent to the Ephrata police in August. A warranted search was conducted at the 27-year-old's apartment in the 50 block of Michael Lane, the police explained. "Child pornography was found on an electronic device owned by Robinson," the police said. The download happened on August 25, according to court documents.  He was arr…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Child Bicyclist Struck In Ephrata: Police Child Bicyclist Struck In Ephrata: Police
Child Bicyclist Struck In Ephrata: Police A 9-year-old boy was hospitalized after he was struck by a vehicle on Sunday, police announced.  The boy was hit by an 83-year-old Akron driver's vehicle after around 7:40 a.m. on July 8, 2023, Ephrata police explained.  The crash happened at the intersection of South State and West Fulton streets in Ephrata Borough.  The boy had failed to stop at a red traffic light and was not wearing a bicycle helmet, according to the police.  The boy was transported to Penn Health-Lancaster General Hospital with "injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening" the police said. Videos of the inci…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
EMT ID'd As Man Found Dead At Walmart In Ephrata (EXCLUSIVE) EMT ID'd As Man Found Dead At Walmart In Ephrata (EXCLUSIVE)
EMT ID'd As Man Found Dead At Walmart In Ephrata (Exclusive) The friend who found the 33-year-old man dead at the Walmart in Ephrata on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, has come forward to share about his life in an exclusive interview with Daily Voice.  Nicole Goodman found her friend Brandon Jasper Stacey unresponsive in the backseat of his beloved white Volkswagon sedan at the Ephrata Walmart located at 890 East Main Street/US 322 around 4 p.m. She called 911, reporting it as a cardiac arrest, and Ephrata Police and emergency medical services soon arrived but it was too late, so the Lancaster County Coroner was called to the scene. On May 10, the results o…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Obituaries
Friends Led Police To PA Mom Killed By Son: Authorities Friends Led Police To PA Mom Killed By Son: Authorities
Friends Led Police To PA Mom Killed By Son: Authorities The friends of Lois Gift knew something was wrong when she didn't come to local activities she regularly attended, little did they know her son had killed her, police explained in a release on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.  The 62-year-old had a disagreement with her son when he tried to take her purse, and during the fight he strangled her to death, then he stole her car and fled— only to crash it a few hours later and be hospitalized until he confessed to the killing on March 19, Ephrata police said.  Officers ultimately discovered Lois when "multiple friends" filed reports for a welfare ch…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
PA Son Kills Mom Over Purse, Crashing While Fleeing In Her Stolen Car, Police Say PA Son Kills Mom Over Purse, Crashing While Fleeing In Her Stolen Car, Police Say
PA Son Kills Mom Over Purse, Crashing While Fleeing In Her Stolen Car, Police Say A 26-year-old Lancaster County man confessed on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, to the police that he strangled his mom during a fight over her purse, then took her keys out of her purse, stole her car and fled, police say.  Many friends of 62-year-old Lois Gift thought her absence from events she regularly attended was very odd so they called the Ephrata police and requested a welfare check on Monday, March 20, 2023— that's when her body was discovered at her home on Grant Road in Adamstown, according to the police release following the confession. The coroner determined her cause of death…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Drunken Man Assaults Officer At Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital: Police Drunken Man Assaults Officer At Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital: Police
Drunken Man Assaults Officer At Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital: Police A drunken man was arrested for assaulting a police officer while checking into Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital, authorities said. Eric Oberly, 40, of Ephrata, was trying to get through the hospital's check-in process when he "squared off against an Ephrata police officer" on Friday, Sept. 20, local police said. Oberly pushed past the officer, and performed a "palm strike," hitting the officer in the eye, authorities said.  Oberly was transported to the Lancaster County Prison for arraignment. He was charged with public drunkenness and aggravated assault.

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
15-Year-Old Ephrata Girl Missing Over 1 Week Found Safe: Police 15-Year-Old Ephrata Girl Missing Over 1 Week Found Safe: Police
15-Year-Old Ephrata Girl Missing Over 1 Week Found Safe: Police Update: Maria Garcia, 15, of Ephrata was found safe around 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17, according to an updated release by area police the following day. Original: A 15-year-old Ephrata Girl has been missing for over a week, police say.   Garcia’s whereabouts, please contact  or leave an anonymous tip by clicking the ‘submit a tip’ button. Maria Garcia was recently residing with extended family in Ephrata Township, but for an unknown reason packed up her things and has not been seen or heard from since August 6, according to  Ephrata police. No description of her wa…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
PA Man With BAC More Than 3X Legal Limit Charged In Head-On Crash: Police PA Man With BAC More Than 3X Legal Limit Charged In Head-On Crash: Police
PA Man With BAC More Than 3X Legal Limit Charged In Head-On Crash: Police A central Pennsylvania man has been charged in connection with a head-on crash with an extremely high blood alcohol level, according to a release by police. Gary D. Hoffman, 60, of Ephrata, was charged for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a BAC of .277%— the state limit is .08%, according to the police. Ephrata police were called to investigate the accident at the intersection of Parkview Heights and Steinmetz roads in Ephrata Borough on Jan. 5,  at 6:36 p.m., the release shows. A vehicle that was driven by Hoffman had traveled into the opposing lane and struck another v…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
PA Man Sentenced In July 4th Snapchat Shooting That Injured 4 PA Man Sentenced In July 4th Snapchat Shooting That Injured 4
PA Man Sentenced In July 4th Snapchat Shooting That Injured 4 A 21-year-old Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 24 to 50 years behind bars for a Fourth of July shooting over a fight that began on Snapchat in 2020, authorities announced Thursday. Mark Ivie Jr., of Ephrata, was convicted of five counts of aggravated assault and multiple other charges after opening fire at a group of men with an AR-15 at his family's home on July 5, the Lancaster County DA said. Sentencing Judge Donald Totaro said he was not giving a “volume discount” due to there being multiple victims in the shooting, and ordered consecutive sentences for each victim.  A …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
New Details Released In Lancaster County Murder-Suicide New Details Released In Lancaster County Murder-Suicide
New Details Released In Lancaster County Murder-Suicide New details have been released by officials regarding the apparent murder-suicide in Lancaster County on Monday. The victims of the shooting have been identified as Juan Dalmolin, 61, and Naralay Archibald, 19, according to Lancaster County coroner's office. Dalmolin was the uncle of Archibald, according to the coroner. Ephrata police were called to a shooting at a residence in the 200 block of Mortar Lane in Ephrata Borough on Monday around 4:20 a.m, according to a release by police. Dalmolin had a rifle in the home and active shots were reported by emergency dispatchers, according to …

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police
Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police Two people have been killed in a shooting in Lancaster County, authorities say. Ephrata police were called to a shooting at a residence in the 200 block of Mortar Lane in Ephrata Borough around 4:20 a.m, according to a release by police.  A man had been brandishing a rifle in the home and active shots were reported by emergency dispatchers, according to an updated release by police. Upon arrival police found a 19-year-old female shot dead and a 61-year-old male who died from "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," police say. The Lancaster County coroner's office was called to …

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police
Apparent Murder-Suicide In Lancaster County Suburb: Police Two people have been killed in a shooting in Lancaster County, authorities say. Ephrata police were called to a shooting at a residence in the 200 block of Mortar Lane in Ephrata Borough around 4:20 a.m, according to a release by police.  A man had been brandishing a rifle in the home and active shots were reported by emergency dispatchers, according to an updated release by police. Upon arrival police found a 19-year-old female shot dead and a 61-year-old male who died from "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," police say. The Lancaster County coroner's office was called to …

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
Girls Damage Ice Sculptures At Ephrata Rail Station Plaza: Police Girls Damage Ice Sculptures At Ephrata Rail Station Plaza: Police
Girls Damage Ice Sculptures At Ephrata Rail Station Plaza: Police Two girls might be on Santa's naughty list after they damaged ice sculptures at Ephrata Rail Station Plaza just a few days after they was installed for the holiday season, according to police. Ephrata Police were called to a report of girls damaging ice sculptures in the first block of East Main Street on Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m., according to a release by police. The ice sculptures were put up as part of the annual celebration for the Ephrata Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 26, according to the release. The main sculpture damaged at the Ephrata Rail Station Plaza was depicting children visiti…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
Two-Vehicles Crash Into Central PA House Causing Massive Fire, Police Say Two-Vehicles Crash Into Central PA House Causing Massive Fire, Police Say
Two-Vehicles Crash Into Central PA House Causing Massive Fire, Police Say Multiple families were displaced and one person was hospitalized after two vehicles crashed into a home causing a large fire on Thursday night, according to police. Crews were called to a motor vehicle into a home at the corner of Cocalico Road and West Route 897 in West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County Thursday around 7:15 p.m., Lancaster County-Wide Communications dispatchers told Daily Voice. Ephrata Police were also called to the area for the two-vehicle accident resulting in a vehicle fire and then a dwelling fire, police said in a release on early Friday morning. The cars into…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
School Bus Driver Seriously Injured In Crash With Tractor-Trailer In Central PA School Bus Driver Seriously Injured In Crash With Tractor-Trailer In Central PA
School Bus Driver Seriously Injured In Crash With Tractor-Trailer In Central PA A school bus driver has been injured in a crash involving a tractor-trailer on Monday, according to Ephrata Police. The crash occurred in the i100 Block of Hahnstown Road in Ephrata Township around 4:20 p.m. A tractor-trailer traveling south hit the side mirrors of the bus, which was traveling the opposite direction. Six children from the Ephrata Area School District were on the bus at the time of the crash, none of them were injured. The bus driver was injured by "flying glass and debris when the large side mirror swung into and shattered the side bus window," police say. The driver su…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
'There's A Bomb In There': Police Seek Woman Accused Of Threatening Lancaster County Judge 'There's A Bomb In There': Police Seek Woman Accused Of Threatening Lancaster County Judge
'There's A Bomb In There': Police Seek Woman Accused Of Threatening Lancaster County Judge A 24-year-old woman has been charged Terroristic Threats and Threat to Use Weapons of Mass Destruction after threatening to "blow-up" a magisterial judge. Anna Marie Shreiner, 24, last known address in Strasburg, PA, called in a bomb threat to Magisterial District Judge Russell’s Office, located at 609 East Main Street in Ephrata Borough on May 19, as Daily Voice previously reported. Shreiner was scheduled to turn herself in for arraignment on drug charges at Russell’s Office that day at 10 a.m. Instead she called the office at 9:26 a.m. and told a staff member that “you’re gonna blow up t…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Truck Hits Utility Pole, Flips Killing 28-Year-Old Driver In Lancaster County Crash Truck Hits Utility Pole, Flips Killing 28-Year-Old Driver In Lancaster County Crash
Truck Hits Utility Pole, Flips Killing 28-Year-Old Driver In Lancaster County Crash A 28-year-old Adamstown man was killed after he lost control of his truck and crashed in Ephrata early Sunday morning, authorities said. The unidentified driver was negotiating a sharp left turn in his sivler Chevrolet Silverado when he lost control of the truck near the intersection of Route 897 and Sportsman Road in West Cocalico around 1:15 a.m., local police said. The truck hit a utility pole as it skidded off the roadway and flipped onto its side, killing the sole occupant, police said. Crews found the driver was unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The roadway was …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
Elevator Arson In Ephrata Under Investigation Elevator Arson In Ephrata Under Investigation
Elevator Arson In Ephrata Under Investigation Two juveniles have been identified in connection with arson in an elevator, Ephrata police said. Police were dispatched to the Windstream parking garage located at Locust and Grant Streets, Ephrata Borough shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday for reports of smoke coming from an elevator. There they found Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company on scene and the fire extinguished. The elevator sustained fire damage to the wall and floor with smoke damage throughout the unit. The elevator was out of service and no damage estimate has been made public. A preliminary investigation led police to identif…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora