Girl dies of injuries

Girl dies of injuries
SHARON, Pa. (AP) -- A 6-year-old girl died from the injuries she suffered in a New Year's Day accident that killed a man. Jamesa D. Morrison, of Sharon, died Friday night in Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she was taken after the Thursday morning crash on Interstate 79 in Jackson Township, Butler County. The girl was a passenger in a sport utility vehicle that went out of control and spun off the highway, rolling over several times and hitting a guide rail. The driver of the vehicle, Kevin Taylor, 33, of Farrell, also died in the crash. Neither Jamesa nor Morrison was wearing a seat belt, and both were thrown from the vehicle, police said. A second passenger, Elizabeth Morgan, 26, was treated for what police described as minor injuries.
Robbery at apartment
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A masked man took six cases of beer and $700 from a Crestview Gardens home. Police said a 61-year-old resident was tied up with wire and left in his bathroom by the robber. Police were called to the apartment at 6:52 p.m. Sunday. The victim said the robber had a gun and was wearing a white ski mask.
Burglary at company
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- State police said someone broke into the office at Tri-County Industries in Pine Township and stole an undisclosed amount of money from a desk drawer. The burglary occurred between Wednesday and Sunday, police said. Tri-County is a garbage disposal company.
2 arrested in robbery
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Two men are in the Lawrence County Jail after an armed robbery at Four Star Pizza in Shenango Township. Gregory M. Gibbs, 19, of New Castle and Michael Allen Sweeney, 18, of Enon Valley were each charged with robbery, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats and criminal conspiracy. Police said Gibbs went into the pizza shop at 6:13 p.m. Sunday with a BB gun and demanded money. Police said the gun looked real and the employees were threatened with it. A store employee chased the robber after he left the store and directed police to his car. Police pulled over arrested Gibbs and Sweeney on Hazel Street in New Castle.
Reading activities
EAST PALESTINE -- East Palestine Memorial Public Library staff is registering children for reading and craft events. Toddler Time for children ages 2 and 3, accompanied by an adult, will be Mondays at 10:30 a.m. from Jan. 12 to April 26. Book Buddies for children in kindergarten through fifth grade will be on Mondays at 4 p.m., also Jan. 12 to April 26. Children in sixth grade or older are needed to assist with the Book Buddies program. Book Buddies includes reading, crafts and games. Registration is not required for Preschool Story Time or Teen Time. Story time for preschool children 3 to 5 will be at 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 13 to April 27. Teen Time for children 11 to 16 will be at 4 p.m. Jan. 20. Teen Time participants are to bring a board game.
Smoking caused fire
YOUNGSTOWN -- The house fire that claimed two lives New Year's Eve at 602 W. Delason Ave. was caused by careless smoking in bed, fire Capt. Alvin Ware said today. The victims were Christian Baraka, 62, and his sister-in-law, Sibyl Madden, 69. Ware said Baraka may have fallen asleep while smoking in a second-floor bedroom, where the fire started at 10 p.m. Dec. 31. Both victims died from smoke inhalation and Baraka also suffered burns, Ware said. He said a partially burned shirt was found in the bathroom, and it's possible that Baraka tried to put out the fire.