Fire ruled accidental
COAL TOWNSHIP - Tuesday afternoon's fire that caused minimal damage to a first-floor apartment at 1412 W. Arch St. has been ruled accidental by state police fire marshal Kirk Renn, who inspected the scene Wednesday morning.
Patrolman Matthew Henrich said Renn reported the fire was caused by a burning cigarette near a bathroom window on the side of the apartment occupied by Billie Jo Elliott, 35, who was left temporarily homeless.
Assault
SHAMOKIN - Christopher Walker, 36, of 612 E. Commerce St., Shamokin, has been charged by Cpl. Darwin Tobias III with simple assault and harassment involving a domestic disturbance at 11:45 p.m. Friday.
According to a criminal complaint filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III, Walker is accused of pushing his girlfriend, Dana Kestle, into a dresser at 612 E. Commerce St., causing her to suffer injuries to her left eye and left wrist.
Criminal trespass
SHAMOKIN - Patrolman Scott Weaver has charged Eric J. Ginck, 34, of 108 Elm St., Shamokin, with criminal trespass, loitering and prowling at night and possessing instruments of crime in connection with a July 15 break-in at a storage trailer at the rear of CVS Pharmacy in the first block of West Independence Street.
Police reported Ginck used bolt cutters, a pry bar and other tools to break into the trailer at about 12:30 a.m., which set off an alarm. Ginck was taken into custody at the crime scene by Weaver and Cpl. Bryan Primerano.
Fugitive nabbed
SHAMOKIN TOWNSHIP - Robert Edward Whispell III, 24, of East Commerce Street, Shamokin, was taken into custody on an arrest warrant from Maryland by state police at Stonington shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday during a traffic stop on Route 61 near Route 487.