Manslaughter charge

Manslaughter charge

WARREN — The 91-year-old Niles woman who turned her car into the path of a motorcyclist on Youngstown Road June 27, killing him, has been charged with a vehicular manslaughter, a misdemeanor.

Iva Clapper, of Nob Hill Drive, pleaded innocent Wednesday during her arraignment before Judge Terry F. Ivanchak in Warren Municipal Court.

She was released on a $2,500 bond with a court date of 1:30 p.m. Aug. 25 before Judge Thomas P. Gysegem.

Police said Clapper was westbound on Youngstown Road at 10:11 a.m. and turned left onto Ridge Road into the path of Terrance L. Primis of Rogers Avenue, who was eastbound, heading straight through the intersection.

Both drivers had a green light, but Primis had the right of way, said Sgt. Larry Salvato, police traffic commissioner.

Salvato said Clapper has told police she didn’t see the cyclist before she turned.

Vehicular manslaughter is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail.

Mobile home fire kills 1

TRANSFER, Pa. — One person died in a fire at a North Hermitage Road mobile home park. The identity of the deceased wasn’t available Wednesday evening.

The call came in about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday from the Speirs Shadeland Estates mobile home park at 3752 N. Hermitage, according to a report from Mercer County E-911 Services Center.

Blaze attributed to dryer

WARREN — An overheated dryer is to blame for a blaze that caused about $13,000 damage to a Tod Avenue Southwest home.

Firefighters were called to the fire at 557 Tod Ave. S.W. about 1 p.m. Wednesday. No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported, firefighters said.

Suspect in bomb threat

MERCER, Pa. — A suspect is in custody after a bomb threat emptied the Mercer County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon.

The call came in to a courthouse office about 3 p.m. and the building was evacuated within minutes.

Deputy sheriffs and two bomb detection dogs from Mercer and Beaver counties conducted an exterior and interior sweep of the building, which was cleared by 5:30 p.m. The courthouse will be open for business today.

Sheriff Bill Romine said a suspect was apprehended by Hermitage police and deputies within an hour of the call and charges are pending.

Additional information and the suspect’s identity will be released once charges are filed, Romine added.

The closure forced the cancellation of a DUI class that had been scheduled for early evening. That class has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. today.

Niles sewer rates to rise

NILES — City council voted after several months of study to raise sanitary sewer system rates during the next four years an average of 10 percent starting next month — the first such increase in the city in 18 years.

The service fee, which is paid by all sewer users, will remain at $2.97 this year and next, but jump to $3.97 in 2010 and $4.97 in 2011. Usage rates, which are based on water use, climb from the current $2.03 to $2.23 per 100 cubic feet for next year, $2.46 in 2009, $2.58 in 2010 and $2.71 in 2011.

Randy Fabrizio, wastewater treatment plant superintendent, had encouraged council to approve the increases, citing the city’s expenditures of $2 million for its interceptor sewer system repairs and an estimated $17.5 million to replace the current treatment plant.

“This increase will help alleviate our financial crunch,” Fabrizio said.

Bear seen in Liberty

LIBERTY — A Ventura Drive woman reported being approached by a bear. The woman told police that she was outside eating about 9 p.m. Wednesday when the bear approached her. The woman wasn’t injured.