Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Smethport man charged in connection to a crash that killed an 8-year-old Shinglehouse boy in February of 2013 has pleaded no contest. 22-year-old Tieler Raymo pleaded to a charged of involuntary manslaughter, which was added as part of a plea agreement that dropped eight other charges, including homicide by vehicle. District Attorney Ray Learn explained that the reason the no contest plea was offered is that experts have differing opinions on the circumstances of the crash. Raymo is scheduled for sentencing on July 9. He remains free on unsecured bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Potter County couple died in a house fire this morning in Bingham Township. State police say at 6 a.m. a passing motorist saw the fire at 1405 Genesee Mills Road and called 911. When firefighters arrived the house was engulfed in flames and starting to collapse. State Police Cpl. Nicholas Loffredo says firefighters found 67-year-old Gary Briggs and 70-year-old Mary Briggs in debris after the fire was out. Police say no further details are available at this time. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man accused of driving drunk in a motorcycle crash that killed his wife has pleaded not guilty in Cattaraugus County Court. 51-year-old Michael Baker of Machias, who was critically injured in the crash, is charged with vehicle manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and related offenses in connection to the accident that killed 43-year-old Dianne Baker on August 11, 2013. Police say Michael Baker failed to negotiate a curve on McKinstry Road in Machias and lost control of the motorcycle. Both of the Bakers were thrown from the bike. Dianne was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Baker was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC in Buffalo. His case has been adjourned for motions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two Wilcox women are dead following a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon at the intersection of routes 219 and 321 in Elk County. State police say an SUV driven by 81-year-old Vera Johnson was traveling south on 219 when it didn’t stop for a stop sign and traveled into the path of a tractor-trailer driven by 37-year-old Steven Kilduff of Brookville. Johnson and her passenger, 92-year-old Rose Swanson, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Kilduff was not hurt. Route 321 between Kane and Wilcox was closed for about four hours. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Several pre-schoolers suffered minor injuries, and a St. Marys man is dead after his car hit a school bus Thursday afternoon in Clearfield County. Police say 33-year-old Jason Trask was on Bennetts Valley Highway when his car went to the path of the school bus in the opposite lane. The bus driver, 37-year-old Chrystal Miller of Curwensville, tried to avoid the crash, but the vehicles collided in the middle of the road. Trask was pronounced dead at the scene. Miller was taken to Penn Highlands DuBois for treatment of unspecified injuries. 12 pre-schoolers were on the bus, but only a few suffered minor injuries. Police are waiting for toxicology reports before concluding their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A West Virginia man is dead following a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon on Route 120 in Cameron County. State police say a car driven by 61-year-old James Burgeson of Allegany, New York, crossed into the lane of a pickup truck driven by 51-year-old Phillip Wagner of Phillipi, West Virginia. Wagner was taken to Penn Highlands Elk, where he was pronounced dead. Burgeson was flown to UPMC Altoona, where he is in critical condition. Route 120 in Portage Township was closed for about four hours after the accident. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A person died in a house fire in Cattaraugus County Thursday morning. The county fire investigation team and state police say the person was found on the ground by the door of the house on Potter Road in Machias. They have not identified the person yet. Firefighters got the call at just before noon and say the house was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived. Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire yet, but say there is nothing to indicate foul play was involved. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The hearing for a Ludlow teenager who was driving a car involved in an accident that killed a high school student last summer has been moved to next month. 18-year-old Dylan Yasurek of Ludlow is charged with homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence of a controlled substance in connection to the death of 17-year-old Tristan Sauers of Ludlow, who was a senior a Kane Area High School. Police say Yasurek was speeding on Gibbs Hill Road at around 6:45 p.m. on August 23 when the car went off the road, spun around and hit a large tree. Sauers was pronounced dead at the scene. A 15-year-old girl suffered minor injuries. Yasurek is free on unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing that had been scheduled for today is now scheduled for February 23. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A snowmobiler who didn’t return home Thursday night was found dead this morning near a creek in the woods of Sherman, New York. Sheriff’s deputies say several agencies, including their K-9 division, searched for 31-year-old Kyle Chimera of Sherman, after getting a missing person report at about 11 a.m. They learned that his snowmobile had been traveling on the marked trail, but then went a short distance off of it, hit a bush near a creek and got stuck. The investigation showed that when Chimera tried to get off the snowmobile he fell into the creek. The cause of death has been ruled accidental drowning. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The man charged with shooting and killing his son-in-law literally had a bullet with the man's name on it. According to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office, while investigating the crime scene where 62-year-old Stephen Stidd allegedly shot 42-year-old Mel Bizzarro, state police found “the letters ‘MEL’ carved into the lead portion of the remaining live round” in the handgun. City police got a call at about 9:30 a.m. from Barbara Stidd saying that her son-in-law had been shot behind Togi’s Restaurant at 412 East Main Street. When they arrived and Lt. Steve Caskey asked what happened, Stidd said, “I told him I had a gun.” Stidd then pulled a handgun out of his right front pocket and handed it to Caskey. A witness, Kevin Rhebergen, was unloading his truck and told police he heard a verbal fight and then heard a gunshot. Rhebergen subsequently saw Bizzarro lying on the ground and Stidd standing near him. State Police Trooper Nicholas Jordan, who is investigating...

The man who killed his friend for being in bed with his girlfriend has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison. 28-year-old Greg Riehl of Coudersport pleaded guilty in November to involuntary manslaughter for killing 27-year-old Anthony Palmieri in April of last year. He had originally been charged with murder. Riehl told police he and 35-year-old Michelle Nelson and had been drinking at Palmieri’s house. Riehl passed out and, when he woke up, found Nelson and Palmieri in bed together and shot the other man. Riehl then drove to Lancaster County, where his father lives, to “tell him something.” After the father and son had breakfast together, Riehl turned himself in. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A pedestrian is dead after being hit by a car early Sunday morning in Cameron County. Police say a car driven by 21-year-old Kaitlyn Crosby of Emporium hit two men who were walking along Old West Creek Road in Shippen Township at just after 3 a.m. 62-year-old David Croyle Jr. of Emporium was pronounced dead at the scene. 25-year-old Patrick Hornung, also of Emporium, was taken to Penn Highlands Elk for treatment of serious injuries. Police are continuing their investigation. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State police are investigating an attempted homicide and suicide in Warren County. They say Charles Williams stabbed 42-year-old Angel McShane in her Garland home, then fatally shot himself Thursday morning. McShane was able to call 911. She is in critical condition at UPMC Hamot. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A man is dead following a one-car crash Sunday morning in Elk County. A passenger 44-year-old Daniel McGinnis of Pittsburgh, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say 22-year-old Michael McGinnis, also of Pittsburgh was driving on Portland Mills Road, just west of Route 949 – when his car went out of control, left the road, went over an embankment, then flew through the air before hitting several trees and coming to rest on its roof. Michael McGinnis was taken to Penn Highlands Elk for a blood test to see if he was driving under the influence. Another passenger, 44-year-old Sean Collins of Cranberry Township was taken to Penn Highlands Elk for treatment of major injuries. A third passenger, 23-year-old Benjamin Nagy of Pittsburgh wasn’t hurt. McGinnis was cited for driving too fast for conditions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Funeral services will be held tomorrow for the Derrick City man who died while trying to help out during last week’s snow storm in the Buffalo area. 30-year-old Rob Cedar died while trying to free a truck. When the truck gained traction and moved forward, he was pinned between the truck and a high lift. A viewing for the decorated US Army veteran will be from 6 to 8 tonight in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Home on East Main Street, where a funeral service will be held at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. Burial with full military honors will be in Willow Dale Cemetery. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

State police have released the names of the two men involved in last week’s fatal crash on Million Dollar Highway in St. Marys. 29-year-old Michael Hanley of Baltimore, Maryland, the driver of the box truck, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the tractor trailer, who crossed over into Hanley’s lane and hit his truck head-on, was 42-year-old Shawn Bloom of DuBois. He is still being treated at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh. Police say they still aren’t sure what caused the crash. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Investigators have identified the woman who died in a house fire Sunday in Salamanca. 83-year-old Mary Dolecki was found that afternoon in her home that had flames and heavy smoke coming it from it when firefighters arrived. She was taken to Olean General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Cattaraugus County investigators are still trying to figure what caused the fire. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Crews are still on the scene of a fatal crash in Elk County that happened this morning. The accident happened at about 10:20 a.m. on Million Dollar Highway at the Kersey intersection when a tractor-trailer and another truck collided, and one of them burst into flames. The county coroner was called to the scene. A medical helicopter was called for another person. We’ll have more information as it becomes available. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Careless smoking is believed to be the cause of a fire that killed two people in Tioga County early Monday morning. 30-year-old John Wheaton and 19-year-old Kristle Buchanan died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation, according to the coroner’s office. Firefighters found them unresponsive inside the home. They were taken to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Wellsboro, where they were pronounced dead. A state police fire marshal says the blaze started in the Knoxville home at just after 5 a.m. on or near a living room sofa. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Ripley woman is dead following a one-vehicle crash at just afternoon midnight last night in French Creek. Police say 52-year-old Brenda McClelland was on Brownell Road when her vehicle left the road, and then went back onto the road, crossed both lanes of travel and then hit a tree. McClelland was taken to Corry Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947