Public nuisance
SHAMOKIN - George Atiyeh, 54, of Allentown, who owns several properties in the Shamokin-Mount Carmel area, has been charged by Cpl. Bryan Primerano with two misdemeanor counts of creating a public nuisance involving his buildings at 506 Bear Valley Ave. and 549 S. Seventh St.
According to a criminal complaint filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III, both properties are in violation of the Building Officials Code Administrators International (BOCA) and Shamokin ordinances and create a public nuisance and safety hazard to the public, including adjoining residences.
Police said there are holes in the front and rear sections of the roof on both properties, which allow rain, snow, wind and animals to gain access.
Police reported Shamokin City Code Officer Rick Bozza warned Atiyeh about the violations several times and ordered him to bring the buildings up to code, but Atiyeh failed to do so.
Bozza filed eight citations against Atiyeh for offenses committed in October and he was found guilty on each of the offenses Thursday morning after failing to appear for a hearing before Gembic. Atiyeh was ordered by the judge to pay $2,272 in fines and costs.
Drug charges
MOUNT CARMEL - A 40-year-old borough man is accused of being high on drugs when he allegedly crashed into a parked vehicle in the 400 block of West Sixth Street Jan. 23.
Police say blood testing of James Dougherty, of 335 W. Sixth St., found levels of methamphetamine and Alprazolam well above the legal limit, according to a criminal complaint.
Dougherty was taken into custody following the crash at 8:25 a.m. Dougherty said he swerved to avoid running over a child, police said. Police say he was impaired at the scene of the crash.
He is charged by Patrolman Jason Drumheller with two counts of driving under the influence and one summary count of driving with a suspended license. A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones, Mount Carmel, is scheduled for March 27.
Truck crash
FOSTER TOWNSHIP - Ernesto Luis Rivero Blanco, of Lake Worth, Fla., escaped injury Thursday morning when a tractor-trailer he was operating on I-81 in this Schuylkill County township struck a rock embankment and rolled over onto its right side, completely blocking the left lane of the highway.
State police at Frackville reported Blanco was driving a 2005 Freightliner north in the right lane of the highway at 3:30 a.m. when he fell asleep, causing the tractor-trailer to exit the east side of the road, where it struck a metal guardrail.
Police said the rig continued north against the guardrail for approximately 235 feet before hitting a mile marker sign. Blanco attempted to steer back onto the highway. Police said the tractor-trailer traveled another 165 feet before exiting the west side of the road, where it struck a rock embankment with its front end, spun counterclockwise and rolled over onto its right side.
Police said the left lane of I-81 was closed for approximately five hours until the rig could be removed from the scene.
The tractor section of the vehicle sustained extensive damage, police said.
Blanco, who was wearing a seat belt, and is the owner of the rig will be cited for multiple violations.