Robbers rough up man and his sister

Robbers rough upman and his sister
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Mistletoe Avenue man, 75, and his sister, 79, were roughed up by two robbers who forced their way into the house Wednesday.
The sister, who was pushed to her knees at knifepoint, handed over $40. Her brother also was pushed to the floor and injured his eye in the fall.
The brother and sister were then taken upstairs by the robbers, who stole an additional $150 and jewelry. The intruders tore out the wall phone before leaving, reports show.
Firetruck accident
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two of the three firefighters whose 2002 firetruck slammed into a utility pole on Atkinson Avenue Wednesday morning were treated at Forum Health Northside Hospital, reports show.
The driver told police that as he traveled east in the 2400 block of Atkinson he moved the truck to the right side of the road to make room for a motorist approaching from the opposite direction.
The asphalt gave way, which caused the right side of the truck to go off the road and sideswipe the pole, according to the crash report.
Humane investigatorprobes puppy's death
YOUNGSTOWN -- The death of a puppy at 27 S. Garland Ave. is being investigated by Dave Nelson, Animal Charity humane investigator.
Police obtained conflicting reports Wednesday afternoon from witnesses. The puppy was either thrown from a car, or jumped on in the driveway by a man who was not permitted in the house, police said.
Three men ran into the house as police arrived. A witness said the man who killed the puppy ran away through rear yards.
The puppy died 30 minutes after police arrived.
Suspicious activity
BOARDMAN -- A Mathews Road woman told township police that she saw two people wearing ski masks peeking into apartment windows around 2:12 a.m. Wednesday.
The apartment building is at 1990 Mathews Road.
Drug charges
STRUTHERS -- A Poland Township man who had suspected heroin and crack cocaine when police went to his home on a domestic disturbance call has been charged with two offenses.
Ludwick "Wally" Pascarella, 46, of Ridgeview Lane, appeared in Struthers Municipal Court on Wednesday on a felony drug possession charge and a misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charge, court personnel said.
Judge James R. Lanzo set bond at $10,000; Pascarella could be released after posting 10 percent of that.
Township police said Pascarella had eight small bags of suspected crack cocaine, four packets of heroin, a blue straw and a glass crack pipe when they went to his home around 5:15 p.m. Monday.
Pascarella is being held in the Mahoning County jail. He faces an Oct. 2 court hearing.