Hermitage man killed when SUV hits truck

Hermitage man killed
when SUV hits truck

MERCER — Pennsylvania State Police said Christian M. Stella, 31, of Hermitage, was killed when his sport-utility vehicle collided with an AmeriGas propane truck on U.S. Route 62 in Lackawannock Township. Stella was southbound on Route 62 in the center passing lane around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday when he apparently lost control of his vehicle and it spun out of control, traveling into the northbound lane and striking the truck driven by John E. Fox, 51, of Mercer. Stella was pronounced dead at the scene by J. Bradley McGonigle, Mercer County coroner. Police said Fox suffered an unidentified injury but did not indicate if he required medical treatment. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, police said.

Reward up to $10,000
in Sweet house shooting

YOUNGSTOWN — The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for those responsible for shooting into Dr. David Sweet’s house in Liberty has been increased to $10,000, said Liberty Police Chief Tony Slifka. At least eight shots were fired into the Youngstown State University president’s Fairway Drive house in late December. The reward, made up from private contributions, had been $5,000. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (330) 746-CLUE. Callers remain anonymous.

Vacant house burns

YOUNGSTOWN — A fire that started in the basement of a vacant house at 643 W. Boston Ave. on the South Side around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday burned through the first floor and extended to the second floor in the walls, the fire department said. The cause is under investigation. Damage was set at $10,000 and demolition was requested.

Numerous accidents

YOUNGSTOWN — Blowing wind and light snow combined to make roads icy. Between 8:22 a.m. and noon Tuesday, police responded to 14 crashes, mostly fenders benders, with some cars sliding off roads. No serious injuries were reported. At 11:41 a.m., a utility pole in the 200 block of East Midlothian Boulevard was nearly sheared off during a two-car crash, police said.

Liberty man faces
marijuana charges

LIBERTY — A Gypsy Lane man appeared Tuesday in Girard Municipal Court on felony charges of trafficking in marijuana after police found the substance on him during a search Friday. Omar Jermaine Robinson, 27, is free on a personal recognizance bond. His next court date has not been set. According to police reports, Robinson was in a car with the doors open and loud music playing in the 3000 block of Green Acres Drive late Friday with Samir Hassan Abdullah, 27, of Florida Street, Youngstown. Officers pulled behind the car, reports said, and Abdullah ran off. He was caught a short distance from the car. Reports say officers found eight individually wrapped bags of suspected marijuana on Robinson during a search. Abdullah was charged with obstructing official business for running from the officer.

Fire destroys garage

GIRARD — Firefighters said a blaze destroyed a single-car garage at a vacant house at 20 Abbey St. The call came in at 8:12 p.m. Tuesday and the block structure was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The cause of the fire is undetermined. Neighbors reported seeing kids going in and out of the garage all day, firefighters said. Authorities said they don’t know who owned the garage. Damage was estimated at $7,500.