Dangerous dog registration
MOUNT CARMEL - Northumberland County Dog Warden Mark Rusinko filed misdemeanor charges of failing to register a dangerous dog and failing to pay the $500 registration fee for a dangerous dog against Chloe C. Wydra, 36, of 299 Ralpho Road, Elysburg, at the office of Magisterial District Judge Hugh A. Jones Feb. 11.
Rusinko said Wydra previously pleaded guilty to harboring the dangerous dog "Jake." She was sent two invoices for payment of the license along with a request for verification of the license, rabies vaccination and current insurance policy, which is required for owners of dangerous dogs, and failed to respond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.
DUI, drugs
MOUNT CARMEL - Ryan Joseph Peters, 20, of 656 Pine St., Kulpmont, was charged with misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of a combination of drugs, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia after Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Kelly Campbell said he found him passed out in a vehicle in the Strong Turkey Hill parking lot shortly before midnight Jan. 15.
Campbell said a red glass smoking device with black stripes and a clear sandwich bag filled with a green and brown vegetative substance was sitting on Peters' lap. Campbell said when he attempted to turn off the vehicle through the open driver's side window, Peters woke up and asked, "Hey Campbell, what's up?" An odor of synthetic marijuana known as Spice emanated from the vehicle, Campbell said.
Campbell said Peters failed field sobriety tests. He was taken to Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital where he tested positive for Oxycodone.
DUI, suspended license
MOUNT CARMEL - John Vincent Shustack, 49, of 545 Spruce St., Kulpmont, was charged with two misdemeanor each of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and possession with the intent to use drug paraphernalia and summary offenses of failure to use taillights and driving with a suspended license after Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Kelly Campbell pulled him over for driving without taillights around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 11.
Campbell said he identified Shustack during the stop and realized there was an active bench warrant for his arrest. As he was taking Shustack into custody, he discovered two clear plastic baggies containing a powder-like residue, a glass tube that appeared black from burnt residue and four syringes, including one in Shustack's left inside jacket pocket, Campbell said.
A blood test revealed psychoactive stimulants and methamphetamine in Shustack's blood, the criminal complaint said.
Drug paraphernalia
MOUNT CARMEL - Joseph Smallets Jr., 27, of 213 South Oak St., Apt. 1, Mount Carmel, was charged by Mount Carmel Borough Cpl. David Donkochik with one misdemeanor count of possession with the intent to use drug paraphernalia after he nearly overdosed at around 8 p.m. Feb. 6 in his apartment.
Donkochick said he arrived at Smallets' apartment to discover him face down on his bed and unresponsive, but breathing. EMS arrived and administered Narcan to Smallets, who became alert and oriented. He said he had injected seven bags of heroin and then felt funny and became ill, Donkochick said. He was observed attempting to look for his syringes, which were taken by EMS for safe disposal after they were located by responders, Donkochik said.
Smallets' mother, who was at the scene, said he had been battling a drug addiction and has been attempting to get help, Donkochik said.
Retail theft
MOUNT CARMEL - Regina Marie Merritt, 55, of 206 S. Beech St., Mount Carmel, was charged by Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Keith Tamborelli with felony retail theft for allegedly stealing a pack of coffee from the Mount Carmel CVS at around 4:30 p.m. Feb. 8.
Tamborelli said when he arrived Merrit said, "I shoplifted." She was barred by CVS management from returning to the store.
Drug paraphernalia
MOUNT CARMEL - Michael B. Laskowski Jr., 37, 310 S. Chestnut St., Mount Carmel, was charged by Mount Carmel Borough Patrolman William Adamski with a misdemeanor count of possession to use drug paraphernalia after he was allegedly found to have a red bag with a multi-colored smoking pipe containing a burnt residue inside, rolling papers and trace amounts of green vegetation, reported by another resident of the house to be Spice, at around 4 p.m. Jan. 20.
Assault, disorderly conduct
MOUNT CARMEL - Matthew Duceman, 38, of 126 Vermont Drive, Kulpmont, was charged by Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Keith Tamborelli with a misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary offense of disorderly conduct for an incident occurring Nov. 30.
Tamborelli said Duceman has become upset at the victim and reached into the victim's rear driver's side window and slammed the victim's head into the dash of the vehicle while he was simultaneously hugging a child in the car.
The victim suffered bruising and a cut to the head and was treated at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital.