Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A man who tried to hide from area police officers because he said he’d rather be in jail than the state parole program he was in, got his wish. For now, anyway. 55-year-old John Crocker got into an argument with his daughter at about 6:30 last night on Seaward Avenue near 6V Sales and Service. Police were called to the scene, but by the time they got there Crocker had gotten out of the car and was running toward the wood line near Route 219, according to court papers. Bradford City Assistant Police Chief Mike Ward had officers from Bradford, Foster and Bradford townships set up a perimeter, while others searched the wooded area, which is about 50 yards by 100 yards. About half an hour after the original call, Bradford Township Police Officer Jeff Shade found Crocker lying on the ground trying to hide, and took him into custody. Police say he was slurring his speech and smelled strongly of alcohol when he told them he absconded from parole because he couldn’t stand the program he was...

A man has admitted to assaulting his estranged wife and trying to assault Bradford’s assistant police chief. 43-year-old Richard Buterbaugh pleaded guilty to assault, terroristic threats, criminal trespass and false imprisonment for breaking into the woman’s home, threatening her and pulling out clumps of her hair. When police arrived he tried to tackle assistant chief Mike Ward. Buterbaugh is scheduled for sentencing September 4 in McKean County Court. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police say a Bradford man has confessed to setting two fires on December 17 and is charged in connection to two more fires last month. 21-year-old Harvey Rose, who is also facing charges after his two-week-old baby was burned by bath water earlier this month, told police he started fires at 8 Thompson Avenue and 10 Congress Place, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Rose is also accused of setting a fire at 125 West Washington Street on January 8 because he was upset with a resident he says owed him money and wanted to scare her. Surveillance video from Oxley’s Service Center captured Rose riding a bicycle to and from the scene. He is also charged in connection to a fire at an apartment building at 338 East Main Street on January 11. 25-year-old Jeremiah Smith of Bradford is also charged in connection to that fire. Smith and Rose each told police that the other man started the fire. Surveillance video from the nearby Kwik Fill gas station shows the...

The Bradford man who threatened to blow up the ARG Refinery last December pleaded guilty to terroristic threats and criminal mischief Thursday in McKean County Court. 40-year-old John Rose made the threats after being fired by a subcontractor who worked for ARG. He tried to force his way into the front entrance on Kendall Avenue, by kicking the door and throwing rocks at the glass. Before police got to ARG, Rose drove away and, when police caught up with him near the intersection of Williams Street and Rosedale Avenue, they had to order him at gunpoint to get onto the ground. He’ll be sentenced March 7. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

UPDATE: A warrant has been issued for the arrest of 42-year-old Michael Byerly. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. A Bradford woman who told police she turned to drug dealing to make ends meet is now in McKean County Jail. 40-year-old Susan Byerly was arrested Tuesday after city police and the McKean County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at her Burnside Avenue home and found multiple bags of cocaine and bags of marijuana packaged for sale. They also found a number of pistols and long guns as well as an AK-47 style assault rifle with multiple magazines and “many” rounds of ammunition, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. They also found drug paraphernalia, cash and electronics. Bylerly told police she and her husband have been unemployed for some time, and she turned to drug dealing for supplemental income. She is jailed on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Central Court on March 7. The news leader of the Twin Tier...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director A Bradford man is jailed without bail for allegedly stabbing another man multiple times this morning on Tibbitts Avenue. 25-year-old Randon Black is charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and related offenses after allegedly stabbing David Kelsey and cutting his throat and neck with a black-handled K-Bar knife. The incident happened at about 2:30 a.m. Assistant Bradford City Police Chief Mike Ward said when he arrived at the scene he saw that Kelsey had “a large laceration to the side of his neck from which blood was squirting profusely,” according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Ward said Kelsey told him he thought he was going to die and wanted Ward to know who stabbed him before he died. Kelsey told Ward Black stabbed him but wasn’t sure why. Ward said Kesley kept repeating that he was going to die but Ward “tried to assure him that he would be OK,” the affidavit says....

A Bradford man has been arraigned on attempted criminal homicide and other charges for allegedly stabbing another man in the throat and neck. 25-year-old Randon Black is accused of stabbing David Kelsey multiple times and cutting his throat and neck with a black-handled K-Bar knife at about 2:30 this morning on Tibbetts Avenue. Black was found at his grandmother’s house on Willard Avenue at about 8 o’clock this morning. After being read his rights, he told police he stabbed Kelsey and that blood got on his face and clothes, and that he removed it at his grandmother’s house. Black was arraigned by District Judge Dominic Cercone, and sent to jail without bail. After the arraignment District Attorney Ray Learn said he didn’t know what Kelsey’s condition is, but that he is in an out-of-town hospital. Pictured, Randon Black being led into District Judge Dominic Cercone's office by Assistant Bradford City Police Chief Mike Ward.

Bradford City Police are reminding people to lock their vehicles when they’re unattended. Assistant Chief Mike Ward says police have received multiple reports of thefts from unlocked vehicles in the downtown area. Police are investigating, and charges will be filed against the people responsible.

A Buffalo man is in jail after Bradford police found him with drugs during a traffic stop early this morning on East Main Street. Assistant Police Chief Mike Ward says 26-year-old Justin Jenkins was stopped at 2:10 a.m., when they found that he was in possession of marijuana, crack cocaine and a large amount of money. He was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of crack cocaine and possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine. Jenkins was arraigned by on-call District Judge Rich Luther and sent to McKean County Jail on $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 8 in front of District Judge Dominic Cercone.