Blood drive pits rivals

Blood drive pits rivals
SHARON, Pa. -- The annual Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh Blood Drive to benefit the American Red Cross collected 208 units of usable blood. The six-hour drive, held Monday at The Rosemont Banquet Center on Sterling Avenue, had set a goal of 200 units. A pasta dinner was offered to all donors. The drive pits Cleveland sports fans and Pittsburgh fans to draw donors.
Woman's car hit by train
NEW BEAVER, Pa. -- A Beaver County woman escaped serious injury after her car was hit by a train. Pennsylvania State Police said Kerri Elliott, 21, of R.D. 1, New Galilee was traveling on Larchwood Road at 3:06 p.m. Monday when she failed to stop at a railroad crossing. Her car was hit by a Norfolk Southern Train. She was treated at the Ellwood City Hospital and released, police said. Firefighters said she was able to get herself out of the vehicle after the crash.
Firefighters: Fire was set
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Firefighters say an early morning fire at a vacant building was intentionally set. The front porch was set on fire about 2 a.m. today at 139 Mills Way, firefighters said. The blaze extended up to the building's second floor and caused about $7,000 damage, they said. The building owner was not known this morning.
Break-in reported
SALEM -- Someone broke into an apartment on the 600 block of East Sixth Street, police said. The thief took a music keyboard worth about $1,700. The crime occurred sometime over the holiday weekend, police said.
Child drowns in pool
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- A 3-year-old Jamestown boy drowned in an above-ground swimming pool in the back yard of his grandfather's home on Arlington Drive in Pymatuning Township on Sunday. Police were called to the home of Mike McKinney around 9 p.m. after the child, Sean M. Randall of Chestnut Street, Jamestown, was found floating in the pool. McKinney was performing CPR on the child when police arrived but the boy couldn't be revived, authorities said. He was taken to UPMC Horizon in Greenville where he was pronounced dead. Cris Loutzenhiser, Mercer County deputy coroner, ruled the death accidental because of freshwater drowning.
Part of road to close
HILLSVILLE, Pa. -- A portion of River Road will be closed Monday to July 16, according to Mahoning Township officials. CSX Railroad will be making repairs to Carbon Crossing on those days.
Crash leaves 4 dead
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (AP) -- A tractor-trailer went through a stop sign and drove into the path of a car, causing a fiery wreck that killed four people and badly burned another Monday afternoon, state police said.
State police Trooper Rob Lagoon said the truck collided with the car, which was carrying five people, on state Route 8 in Slippery Rock Township, about 45 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The car apparently struck the tractor-trailer's fuel tank, causing both vehicles to burst into flames, state police said. Lagoon said four people in the car were killed, while the driver was able to escape the flaming wreckage.
State police Monday night charged the truck driver, Ejub Grcic, 54, of West Valley, Utah, with homicide by vehicle, reckless driving and other traffic violations in the wreck.
Preliminary hearing set
HUBBARD -- A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday in Girard Municipal Court for a Youngstown man who kept stolen goods on him.
Gerald J. Paige, 26, of Southern Boulevard, Youngstown, is being held in Trumbull County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond.
Detective Mike Begeot of Hubbard Township police said Paige and another man tried to burglarize a Chestnut-Ridge Road home June 23. The homeowner's grandson got the license plate number of the car Paige and the accomplice were in.
Begeot said Paige faces two counts of receiving stolen property.
When arrested, he had an American Association of Retired Persons' credit card that was stolen June 10 in Pulaski, Pa., burglary; and also was wearing a watch engraved with the owner's name that was stolen May 22 during a Hubbard Township burglary, the detective said.