City man escapes injury
VALLEY TOWNSHIP - A Coal Township man escaped injury when his SUV ran through standing water and went down an embankment Friday morning in this Montour County municipality.
Trooper Jason R. Caccia from state police at Milton said James F. Gribbin, 29, was traveling east on Route 54 at 6:15 a.m. near the intersection of Old Valley School Road in a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer when his vehicle encountered the standing water and, because of excessive speed, lost traction. Police said the vehicle struck guardrail on the west side of the highway, traveled over an embankment and came to rest in mud.
Gribbin, who was wearing his seat belt, will be cited for a speeding violation, police said. He and a passenger in his truck, Jeffrey D. Burns, 46, of Shamokin, who was also wearing his seat belt, was not injured.
Phone scams
COAL TOWNSHIP - Coal Township Police are warning area residents to be aware of numerous phone scams.
Callers are identifying themselves as being authorized by the firemen's relief fund to collect funds for area fire departments, claiming to be with clearinghouses promising the delivery of cars and large amounts of cash - only if hundreds of dollars is first forwarded, and claiming to be relatives in foreign countries needing money for travel to get home, or for medical bills.
Police urge residents not to provide any type of credit card, bank or personal information to such callers, and to report any suspicious calls to police.
School fight charge
COAL TOWNSHIP - A 14-year-old Shamokin girl has been charged with disorderly conduct for fighting with another student in the stairwell at Shamokin Area Middle/High School Feb. 15, Coal Township Police reported.
Police said the female victim, from Coal Township, sustained a minor injury.
One hurt in Herndon
HERNDON - One person was injured in a two-vehicle collision at 10:18 a.m. Wednesday at Route 147 and Front Street,
State police at Stonington, in a report issued Saturday, said a 1995 Ford F-150 driven by Donald A. Mutschler Jr., 63, of Dalmatia, was traveling north on Route 147 and made a left turn onto Front Street into the path of a 1988 Chevrolet C1500, driven by Randy L. Kreiser, 45, of Dalmatia, who was traveling south on Route 147. The front end of Kreiser's vehicle struck the right side of Mutschler's vehicle, police said.
A passenger in Mutschler's vehicle, Ethel I. Mutschler, 52, also of Dalmatia, was taken by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where she was treated and released the same day. Both drivers, as well as Westin L. Mutschler, 104, of Dalmatia, another passenger in the Mutschler vehicle, were not injured.
All four occupants were wearing seat belts, police said.
Both drivers were charged by Trooper James L. McCormick Jr.
State police were assisted on the scene by Americus Ambulance and Herndon and Lower Mahanoy fire company personnel.