MIDDAY BRIEFING: Cops approved for Pittsburgh area schools

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January 17, 2013

MIDDAY BRIEFING: Cops approved for Pittsburgh area schools

Anonymous Associated Press Thu Jan 17, 2013, 01:16 PM EST

PITTSBURGH — An Allegheny County school district has approved adding two police officers to patrol its buildings.

The Tribune-Review reports that Collier Township commissioners voted on Wednesday night to add the school resource officers to the Chartiers Valley middle and high school campus and to the primary school.

The district is also in negotiations with Scott Township to put another officer at an intermediate school.

The officers are scheduled to begin work on Feb. 4.

Police seek 2 suspects in Philly girl's abduction

PHILADELPHIA — Police are still searching for a woman who abducted a 5-year-old Philadelphia girl from her elementary school.

Investigators say the girl was blindfolded, forced to change out of her clothes and made to hide under a bed after being taken from her classroom Monday morning. A passer-by found her early Tuesday shivering under a piece of playground equipment at a park just outside the city.

Police say the woman claimed she was the girl's mother and was coming to take her to breakfast. After leaving school, police say the woman and the victim walked a few blocks to a home where a man was waiting.

Authorities believe the victim was targeted but have not disclosed a motive. School officials say personnel did not follow proper procedures before releasing the child.

Greyhound bus rear-ends truck near Erie

ERIE — Police say a Greyhound bus rear-ended a flatbed truck on Interstate 90 in Erie County, but police are reporting no serious injuries.

The accident happened around 7 a.m. Thursday and has interrupted traffic flow in the area. The Erie Times-News reports rescue crews emptied the bus and a few passengers were placed on stretchers.

The driver of the flatbed was not hurt.

4 dogs killed, firefighter hurt in fire in Reading

READING — Fire officials in Reading say four dogs were killed and a firefighter was hurt in a row house blaze.

The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon and quickly spread to the second floor. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about 30 minutes, but four dogs inside perished. A firefighter battling the blaze suffered chest pains and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. His condition has not been released.

The Reading Eagle reports city fire marshals say the blaze started in the back of the house on the first floor and spread.

The cause is under investigation.

Philly state rep found guilty of DUI, vows appeal

PHILADELPHIA — A Democratic state representative from Philadelphia could be facing three days in jail following her conviction on a drunken-driving charge.

Court records say a judge found Cherelle Parker guilty Wednesday and sentenced her to three days to six months, but put the sentence on hold pending an expected appeal.

Police said Parker had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 and was driving the wrong way down a one-way street when she was stopped in April 2011.

Parker's lawyer Joseph Kelly told the Philadelphia Daily News she maintains her innocence and plans to appeal.

Sex offender charged with exploiting Pa. child

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. — Authorities say a Long Island man who did prison time for sodomizing an 11-year-old boy has been indicted on charges of sexually exploiting another child.

The New York newspaper Newsday says Jay Kroll of Massapequa is accused of videotaping a 13-year-old relative three times in Gettysburg, Pa., and three times in suburban Rochester, N.Y.

Court papers say the incidents occurred between June and December 2011.

Kroll pleaded not guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Central Islip (EYE'-slihp). If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence.

His attorney, Stuart Grossman, declined comment.

An attorney for the boy's parents said they had assumed Kroll was no longer a danger to children because he had undergone treatment.

He served six years in prison in the 1990s.

Police: Man took $600 in razors from store

LIVERPOOL — Police say a man stole $600 worth of razor blades from a central Pennsylvania grocery store, where he saved enough time to ask for a job application.

The Sentinel of Carlisle reports it happened at the Giant Food Store in Howe Township, Perry County, shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

That's when state police say a man entered the store and went straight to the razor display. Authorities say he then started placing large quantities of razor refills into a bag that he had hidden in his hooded sweatshirt.

Investigators say the man briefly stopped by the customer service desk to ask about a job application before leaving with the razors.

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