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Berks County, PA

COLD CASE: Redner's Executive Found Beaten To Death In Berks County COLD CASE: Redner's Executive Found Beaten To Death In Berks County
Cold CASE: Redner's Executive Found Beaten To Death In Berks County Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the cold case murder of a grocery store executive in Berks County.  Gary Redner, executive vice president of Redner's Warehouse Market, was found beaten to death on a neighbor's property on March 9, 2008, according to PSP.  Redner, 55, was last seen leaving Ganley's Pub at 500 Brownsville Road in Sinking Spring around 7 p.m. the night before, troopers say. The bar was only a quarter mile west of his home on the 400 block of Reber’s Bridge Road in Lower Heidelberg.  His car was found parked in his driveway, authorities said.&nb…
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 …
6-Month-Old Infant Allegedly Killed By Drunk, High Central PA Dad: Affidavit 6-Month-Old Infant Allegedly Killed By Drunk, High Central PA Dad: Affidavit
6-Month-Old Infant Allegedly Killed By Drunk, High Central PA Dad: Affidavit A 30-year-old dad is accused of getting drunk and high before he suffocated his 6-month-old baby boy, according to court documents filed on April 3 and obtained by Daily Voice the following afternoon.  Timothy Ray Walton's infant was found on his mobile home's floor in Ephrata — unresponsive — at 8:10 a.m. on Jan. 19, as detailed by police in the affidavit of probable cause.  The baby boy was rushed to WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The autopsy conducted on Jan. 22 autopsy determined that the baby died from complications of asphyxia, a…
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…
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…
PA Doctor Accused Of Diverting 'Hundreds Of Doses' Of Fentanyl PA Doctor Accused Of Diverting 'Hundreds Of Doses' Of Fentanyl
PA Doctor Accused Of Diverting 'Hundreds Of Doses' Of Fentanyl A Luzerne County doctor is charged with 32 felony counts related to diverting narcotics, said the state Attorney General's Office Friday, March 22.  Richard Lemaster Hubbell was arraigned Thursday at a district court, prosecutors said.  Investigators believe Hubbell, while working as an anesthesiologist in Berks and Columbia counties, falsified records to show that patients were given fentanyl and Dilaudid, or hydromorphone.  Detectives said they found hundreds of vials and syringes containing the two opioids at his home in Butler Township, Luzerne County…
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At PA Truck Stop Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At PA Truck Stop
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At PA 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…
PA Girl Missing For Nearly Two Weeks, Police Say PA Girl Missing For Nearly Two Weeks, Police Say
PA Girl Missing For Nearly Two Weeks, Police Say Authorities in Berks County are looking for a missing teenager.  Melodee Deronette, 16, was last seen around noon on Saturday, March 9, on Cheltenham Drive in Wyomissing, borough police say.  She may be at special risk of harm or injury, authorities said.  Anyone with information should call 911 or Wyomissing police at 610-375-6102.  
Pair Caught In Berks County Human Trafficking Sting, Police Say Pair Caught In Berks County Human Trafficking Sting, Police Say
Pair Caught In Berks County Human Trafficking Sting, Police Say Two men were arrested last month as part of a police sting on human trafficking in Berks County, authorities say.  The District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Task Force posted phony listings on websites "commonly used for sexual advertisements," Spring Township police said in a release.  On Jan. 29, suspects responded to the ads and agreed to pay for sex with 14- and 15-year-olds, authorities said.  Spring police announced two arrests in connection with the sting: James Edward Moon, 67, of Sinking Spring, was charged with IDSI of a person under 16, statutory sexual assault,…
Skull Found In PA Pond Was That Of 2004 Attempted Murder Suspect, Officials Say Skull Found In PA Pond Was That Of 2004 Attempted Murder Suspect, Officials Say
Skull Found In PA Pond Was That Of 2004 Attempted Murder Suspect, Officials Say A human skull discovered in an Amity Township pond has been identified as belonging to a missing attempted murder suspect, Berks County prosecutors say.  The skull was found by a child in a body of water near Pine Lane in April 2022, the District Attorney's Office wrote in a release Wednesday, Jan. 31. Two follow-up searches of the pond turned up no other human remains, authorities said.  Investigators believed the skull was that of Roger Hart, a former Pottstown resident who went missing in 2004 after he was charged with trying to kill his wife at their home. Hart fled the s…
$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 …
Winter Weather Advisory In Effect For Dauphin County Winter Weather Advisory In Effect For Dauphin County
Winter Weather Advisory In Effect For Dauphin County 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. …
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…
Sex Offender Who Lives In Lebanon Is Missing: Pennsylvania State Police Sex Offender Who Lives In Lebanon Is Missing: Pennsylvania State Police
Sex Offender Who Lives In Lebanon Is Missing: Pennsylvania State Police A Colorado sex offender who lives in Lebanon and works in Berks County is missing, police announced on January 4.  Santos Joel Rodriguez-Cruz, became a "non-complaint" registered sex offender when he "failed to verify his information between the required times," Lebanon City police and Pennsylvania State Police said in separate releases.  The 30-year-old only is required to check in with PSP once a year to be photographed and register his address, workplace details, and any vehicles he may own. He failed to do any of that before Oct. 23, 2023, documents show. A warrant for his arr…
Attempted Murder Suspect Caught, Pennsylvania State Police Say Attempted Murder Suspect Caught, Pennsylvania State Police Say
Attempted Murder Suspect Umar Presbery Captured: Police A man accused of attempted murder in Delaware County, allegedly stole a car while fleeing — ditching it in Lehigh County — then he supposedly stole another vehicle in Berks County, has been captured in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Jan. 3.  Umar Kimel Presbery, 29 of no known address, was found in a stolen white 2001 Subaru in Harrisburg around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, state troopers explained.  He is accused the stealing the vehicle from Greenwich Township around 5:30 a.m, PSP stated in a previous release.  This was a vehicle…
Fugitive Attempted Murder Suspect Nabbed In Harrisburg: Police Fugitive Attempted Murder Suspect Nabbed In Harrisburg: Police
Fugitive Attempted Murder Suspect Nabbed In Harrisburg: Police A man accused of attempted murder in Delaware County stole a car out of a Berks County driveway early Tuesday morning, Jan. 2, state police say.  Troopers found an abandoned GMC in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County around 4:30 a.m., they wrote in a release.  The last known driver of the car was 29-year-old Umar Kimel Presbery, who was wanted by Tinicum Township police for attempted homicide and assault, authorities said.  An hour later and four miles away, a Greenwich Township resident reported that his Subaru was missing from his driveway, according to troopers.  Inv…
NJ Man Who Stabbed PA State Trooper 'Numerous Times' In Berks County ID'd NJ Man Who Stabbed PA State Trooper 'Numerous Times' In Berks County ID'd
NJ Man Who Stabbed PA State Trooper 'Numerous Times' In Berks County ID'd A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was stabbed while serving a warrant for a New Jersey man in Berks County on Saturday, according to multiple releases by Trooper David Beohm.  Two troopers were sent to serve a 302 warrant, which is for involuntary mental health commitment, for 27-year-old Bradley Odenath of Pine Hill, NJ. They arrived at 293 Bachmoll Road, Tilden Township at 8:42 a.m. on Dec. 30, Beohm detailed.  "During their interaction with the male one of the troopers was stabbed numerous times in the leg," Beohm stated in the release.  Troopers were able to subd…
Mormon Ex-Scout Leader Sentenced For Raping Children In VA, New Charges In PA Mormon Ex-Scout Leader Sentenced For Raping Children In VA, New Charges In PA
Mormon Ex-Scout Leader Sentenced For Raping Children In VA, New Charges In PA A 47-year-old former Pennsylvania Boy Scout leader has been sentenced for sexually assaulting two young relatives for several years in Virginia, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.  Shawn Cory Gooden pleaded guilty in July 2023, after an extensive investigation revealed he sexually assaulted a relative, when they were between the ages of nine and 13 years old, multiple times over the course of January 1997 to December 2000, according to the Prince William County police department. Gooden held the following positions until his arrest in Sept. 2022; Bishop with the Chu…
ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club
ACLU Files Suit Against PA School District Over Mascot Club The American Civil Liberties Union is suing Twin Valley School District in Berks County over an alleged violation of a student's First Amendment rights, the organization says.  ACLU said it filed suit on behalf of high school student Sloane Wolfe, who "has been advocating to end her school district’s use of its 'Raider,' mascot based on its stereotypical depiction of North American indigenous people." The civil suit claims TVSD has "refused" to allow Wolfe and others to form an officially recognized student club called "Retire the Raider."  Recognition from administrators, ACLU n…
Federal Felon Assaults Sports Official During PA Midget Football Game: Authorities Federal Felon Assaults Sports Official During PA Midget Football Game: Authorities
Federal Felon Assaults Sports Official During PA Midget Football Game: Authorities A federally convicted felon has been charged following an argument with a sports official at a children's football game.  Keinan Anthony Clayter, 42, of Reading, walked on the field at Cocalico High School, 810 South 4th Street, Lancaster, "during an injury timeout and began yelling and swearing at the opposing team's coaches," East Cocalico police stated in a release on Tuesday, Nov. 7.  The incident happened at 7:43 p.m. on Oct. 14, according to the police release.  The sports official attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Clayter "pushed and hit the official," the …
RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, OSHA Claims (UPDATED) RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, OSHA Claims (UPDATED)
RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, Osha Claims (Updated) Note: This article has been updated with a response from RM Palmer.  Candy company RM Palmer failed to evacuate employees after some reported smelling natural gas before the deadly West Reading explosion in March, according to federal regulators.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a new report last week that the manufacturer "did not remove workers" from the plant "despite workers' concerns about what (was) later determined was a natural gas leak." The blast, which killed seven employees and laid waste to an entire borough block on March 24, was cause…
27 Miles Of I-78 Reopen Almost 8 Hours After Triple Tractor-Trailer Crash 27 Miles Of I-78 Reopen Almost 8 Hours After Triple Tractor-Trailer Crash
27 Miles Of I-78 Reopen Almost 8 Hours After Triple Tractor-Trailer Crash A multi-vehicle crash shuttered 27 miles of Interstate 78 for nearly eight hours on Wednesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The crash involving three tractor-trailers and an SUV happened in the eastbound lanes of I-78 at milepost 49, near Route 100, in Upper Macungie Township just before 5:20 a.m. on Oct. 4, authorities said. All lanes were closed and detoured to Route 863, Pennsylvania State Police said. The 27-mile closure shut the interstate down from Exit 23: Shartlesville interchange in Berks County through Exit 49A: Route 100 So…
9 Escaped Inmates Recaptured After Riot At 'Secure' PA Facility (UPDATE) 9 Escaped Inmates Recaptured After Riot At 'Secure' PA Facility (UPDATE)
9 Escaped Inmates Recaptured After Riot At 'Secure' PA Facility (Update) All nine juveniles that broke out of Abraxas Academy juvenile detention center have been recaptured, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Beohm said on Monday morning.  The teens escaped the "secure youth treatment facility" Abraxas Academy located at 1000 Academy Drive, Morgantown, Caernarvon Township, on Sunday, Sept. 17 around 8 p.m., according to area police.  Trooper Beohm said these boys were at the Academy as a holding facility not the long-term location of sentenced youth.  The boys were between the ages of 14 and 17 years of age. Seven of them were from Harrisburg, one from Lehigh Co…
'Armed And Dangerous' Man Skips Court Date, PA State Police Say 'Armed And Dangerous' Man Skips Court Date, PA State Police Say
'Armed And Dangerous' Man Skips Court Date, PA State Police Say An "armed and dangerous" fugitive is on the run after missing his Berks County court date, Pennsylvania State Police warn. Jonathan E. Polanco of Reading, 28, never showed up to the Court of Common Pleas for a final disposition hearing on Thursday, Aug. 24, said troopers in a release.  He was facing charges including felony firearm offenses, fleeing police, and receiving stolen property in an alleged incident on June 26 of last year, state court records show. The 28-year-old stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 210 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, according to troopers. He has ties t…
Accused PA Deadly Shooter Caught In California Accused PA Deadly Shooter Caught In California
Accused PA Deadly Shooter Caught In California The man accused of killing 26-year-old Quadell Spradley on a Reading street more than a year ago has been arrested by police in California, say authorities.  Jayquan Miguel Sanchez, 24, was arrested while police were investigating a shooting in Chico on Saturday, Aug. 5, Pennsylvania State Police said.  The one-time Berks County resident had been sought on an arrest warrant from Reading police for the fatal July 31, 2022 shooting.  Spradley, of Sinking Springs, was found unresponsive with gunshot wounds on the 1200 block of North Church Street around 4 a.m., Daily Voice repo…
Murder At Harrisburg Hilton Hotel: Police Say Murder At Harrisburg Hilton Hotel: Police Say
Murder At Harrisburg Hilton Hotel: Police Say A woman was murdered at a Hilton Hotel in Central Pennsylvania on Aug. 4, police announced that evening.  Travis Collins, 32, of Kempton (Berks County) confessed to fighting with the woman who was found dead at the Harrisburg Hilton at 3:10 a.m. on Friday, area police detailed in the announcement.    The police left the station, which is across the street from the hotel to respond to a call "for a report of a deceased person." After officers arrived and spoke with Collins they "located the deceased victim, and an investigation was initiated." Collins was taken to the Harris…
Heat Advisory In Central PA: NWS Heat Advisory In Central PA: NWS
Heat Advisory In Central PA: NWS Expect excessive heat and high humidity Thursday and Friday, July 27 and 28, say meteorologists with the National Weather Service.  Heat advisories are in effect for both days, as temperatures are expected to climb as high as 96 degrees Thursday and 99 degrees on Friday, meteorologists said.  Residents are advised to stay hydrated with plenty of water, bring strenuous activities indoors or avoid them altogether, and wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes to beat the heat.  An NWS map shows excessive heat advisories in effect for all of Philadelphia and Delaware counties an…
Newly Minted Millionaire! Big Winning Lotto Ticket Sold In Berks County Newly Minted Millionaire! Big Winning Lotto Ticket Sold In Berks County
Newly Minted Millionaire! Big Winning Lotto Ticket Sold In Berks County A Berks County shopper stopped by a tobacco store in Leesport this week and became a millionaire, Pennsylvania Lottery officials say.  The lucky player won the grand prize on a $20 Millionaire Maker scratch-off ticket on Monday, July 24, according to state lotto representatives. The vendor, Sam's Place at 5479 Pottsville Pike in Leesport, will receive a $5,000 bonus check for selling the winning slip, officials said.  Winning players should always sign the back of their tickets immediately and call the Lottery at 1-800-692-7481. Winners have up to one year from the …
PA Man Steals Cakes With His Face On Them, Police Say PA Man Steals Cakes With His Face On Them, Police Say
PA Man Steals Cakes With His Face On Them, Police Say  A Lancaster man who stole three cakes with his face printed on them is wanted by police, according to a release on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Daquai Anthony Jackson is accused of stealing the cakes from Weis Markets located at 1204 Millersville Pike on May 28, 2023.  The 24-year-old had supposedly ordered the cakes online and had his face printed on them but never paid for them online prior to coming to the store to pick them up, according to the police release.  "A witness confirmed that the person who ordered the cake was the same person pictured in the photos tha…
Overdue Rent Led To Homicide Of MD Man On PA Highway: DA Overdue Rent Led To Homicide Of MD Man On PA Highway: DA
Overdue Rent Led To Homicide Of MD Man On PA Highway: DA An overdue rent payment is believed to have motivated a Maryland man to kill his passenger while traveling on a highway in Pennsylvania, according to a release by the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.  Miguel Vazquez-Ruiz, 54, of Baltimore, was found shot to death on U.S. 222 South, in Brecknock Township Lancaster County near the Berks County line at mile marker 48.6 at 7:07 a.m. on Sunday, April 23, according to Pennsylvania State Police.  An autopsy performed by the Lancaster County Coroner's Office revealed he sustained five gunshot wou…
Once In 1,000 Years Flood Leaves Residents Underwater In Eastern PA (PHOTOS) Once In 1,000 Years Flood Leaves Residents Underwater In Eastern PA (PHOTOS)
Once In 1,000 Years Flood Leaves Residents Underwater In Eastern PA (Photos) Days after a "1,000-year flood" drenched portions of the Northeastern US over the weekend, Berks County residents impacted by the rainfall are beginning to rebuild.  Heavy downpours from a powerful storm system have left communities throughout the region in disrepair and have killed at least one person in New York state, Daily Voice has reported.  In Berks, residents are taking to GoFundMe to raise money to undo the damage.  Israel Fuentes of Reading says his family's entire basement was flooded under four feet of water during the storm. While he, his wife, and their three children are s…