Toddler dies in accident

Toddler dies in accident
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Shenango Township police say a Gardner-Center Road man accidentally ran over his 15-month-old son with a pickup truck. The boy, Chase William Watkins, later died at St. Francis Hospital in New Castle. The child's father, William Watkins Jr., was working in his driveway with the child's grandfather when he decided he needed to go to the store at about 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Watkins did not see the young boy near the truck when he started to pull away from the house, they said. Police said the death has been ruled an accident and Watkins will not face charges.
Fatal ditch cave-in
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A 52-year-old city man died after a ditch he was helping dig at his home collapsed on him, said Lawrence County Coroner J. Russell Noga. Donald Marshall of Schley Street died of severe head injuries at about 2 p.m. Wednesday. Noga said Marshall and another man were digging up a sewage line with a backhoe when Marshall jumped into the 8-foot-deep, 2 1/2-foot-wide trench to check it. The other man noticed that the ground was starting to give way and warned Marshall to get out, Noga said. Marshall was killed when the hole caved in, the coroner said.
Cops seek ID of man
FARRELL, Pa. -- This morning Southwest Regional Police were still trying to identify a man shot to death on the 200 block of Fruit Avenue. Police said they found a black man in his mid-20s on the sidewalk at about 11:52 p.m. Wednesday. The man had been shot at least once in the head, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by Mercer County Coroner J. Bradley McGonigle. District Attorney James Epstein, the Hermitage Police Crime Scene Investigation Team, Sharon Police and the Sharpsville K-9 unit were called to investigate.
3 charged in GNC thefts
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Three New York City men were in Lawrence County Jail this morning accused of shoplifting thousands of dollars worth of vitamins and bodybuilding supplements from area General Nutrition Center stores. Pennsylvania State Police arrested Victor M. Garcia, 22, of 205 E. 112th St., Frederick Hornedo, 24, of 332 of E. 115th St., and Gilbert Delgado, 22, of 1738 Lexington Ave. Police said the three were involved in a large-scale, multicounty retail theft ring, targeting GNC stores in Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford and Clarion counties. Police suspect the vitamins and bodybuilding supplements were headed to New York City where they would be sold on the streets. Each man faces charges of retail theft, theft, criminal conspiracy, and receiving stolen property in the theft of about $2,000 worth of vitamins and bodybuilding supplements from the GNC store in Union Township at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20. State police in New Castle said the men face similar charges in Mercer, Crawford and Clarion counties. All three were arraigned before District Justice J.V. Lamb and jailed in lieu of $20,000 bond each.
Fires in vacant houses
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Fire investigators are looking into two blazes at vacant homes that started within minutes of each other. City firefighters were called to 707 Croton Avenue at 11:35 p.m. Wednesday for a fire that started on the back porch area of the vacant home owned by Earl Shirino and Thomas Merchant, both of Sharon. Damage was estimated at about $8,000. A second blaze started at 12:09 this morning at 908 West Washington Street. That fire was confined to a living room area, and damage was estimated at $6,000, said firefighters, who didn't know who owned that home.
Fire damages business
JAMESTOWN, Pa. -- Firefighters said a passing motorist spotted flames coming from Richter's Grocery & amp; Sporting Goods store at 2936 Williamsfield Road. The alarm came in at 3:37 a.m. Wednesday, said James Brown, spokesman for the Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department. The blaze was believed to be accidental; a state police fire marshal has been called in to find the cause, he said. No damage estimate was available, but Brown said the one-story building is probably a total loss. The business is owned by Robert and Joyce Richter of Williamsfield Road. Firefighters from Hempfield Township, Greenville, West Salem Township, East Fallowfield Township, Hartstown, North Shenango Township and Kinsman assisted Jamestown at the scene. There were no injuries.