Lawyer sent to jail
Lawyer sent to jail
LISBON -- A Warren attorney has been ordered to serve a 48-hour sentence in the Columbiana County Jail. Judge C. Ashley Pike of county common pleas court found Atty. Toni Marcheskie in contempt Friday for failing to appear for a sentencing review hearing for a client held earlier this year.
After the judge imposed the jail sentence, Marcheskie asked for a hearing at 9 a.m. Monday to further argue the contempt finding, a court spokeswoman said. But Marcheskie was about 15 minutes late for that hearing, so the judge ordered her to begin serving the jail sentence at 10 a.m. today, the spokeswoman said.
Toothbrush throwing
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A man who regularly attends government meetings apparently went too far when he threw a toothbrush at a public official. New Castle police said Robert Semler, 78, of Highland Avenue faces charges of disrupting meetings and processions and disorderly conduct.
County Commissioner Ed Fosnaught called for police Tuesday during the commissioners' regular meeting when Semler became disruptive. Fosnaught stopped the meeting and asked for a deputy sheriff to remove Semler.
Semler then threw a toothbrush at the commissioner, police said. Semler left the meeting with another spectator after throwing the toothbrush and was later charged by police.
Van's driver sought
LISBON -- Troopers at the Lisbon Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers are asking the public for help in finding the driver of the car that crashed in St. Clair Township, killing an East Palestine man.
Joseph B. Lyle, 35, of state Route 170, was found in the passenger seat of a Chevrolet Astro van about 9:22 p.m. Friday. The van was in the ditch on Sprucevale Road in the Gretchen's Lock area of Beaver Creek State Park.
The patrol said no driver was found and there was no one else in the area when a trooper arrived. According to the report, the van driver failed to negotiate a curve and the van went off the right side of the road and struck an embankment.
A patrol spokesman said troopers have interviewed a number of people, and the owner of the van is not a suspect.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the patrol at (330) 424-7783.
Cop charged with DUI
SHARON, Pa. -- Police have filed a charge of driving under the influence against a Shenango Township police officer who drove his car through the side of a South Dock Street building while off-duty early Wednesday. Gary M. Palko, 35, of Roemer Boulevard, Farrell, was injured in the crash and was admitted to UPMC Horizon in Farrell but discharged later in the day.
Arraigned in burglary
SHARON, Pa. -- Police have arrested one man in the Dec. 12 theft of a safe from the Hot Rod Cafe in the Three By The River complex and said they are seeking a second. Joseph F. Porterfield, 28, of Logan Avenue, turned himself in around 10 a.m. Wednesday after learning a warrant had been issued for him on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, criminal conspiracy and theft. He was arraigned and freed on his own recognizance. Police said he and an accomplice broke into the restaurant and used a two-wheel dolly to cart away a large safe. The safe was found along the Shenango River south of the business. Its contents haven't been recovered, police said.