Aliquippa man charged and injured; E-bike hits FedEx delivery truck in Beaver County

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported yesterday that forty-seven-year-old Kenneth Torres of Aliquippa was charged after a two-vehicle crash occurred in Beaver County on September 8th.

This happened on Jordan Street at its intersection with Hill Road in South Heights Borough at 2:04 p.m.

Torres was riding an E-bike at a high rate of speed on Hill Road towards Jordan Street and hit a FedEx delivery truck that was driven by forty-one-year-old Joshua Briancesco of New Brighton, which was coming to a stop near a post office.

Torres was disabled from his vehicle, sustained an injury with an unknown severity and was taken by helicopter for evaluation of his injuries.

Briancesco was not injured. 

Route 18 near the Frankfort Bridge over Raccoon Creek closed for bridge replacement project

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: PennDOT, PSP, PTC, Construction Industry Highlight National Work Zone Awareness Week)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Route 18 near the Frankfort Bridge over Raccoon Creek will be closed from August 28th to October 12th as part of a replacement project for the bridge. 

PennDOT reported that detours will be marked.  

Township officials confirmed on social media that all access to the bridge will be blocked so that motorists should set aside additional time so they can get around the area that is close to the community’s industrial plants. 

According to PennDOT, the $25.27 million project will be completely finished in the fall of 2027. 

Valencia man arrested outside Cranberry hotel; FBI believed he planned attack in support of ISIS

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) Federal prosecutors are charging a man from Butler County with receiving a firearm with intent to commit terrorism, and the FBI believed that he was planning an attack in support of ISIS. 

Federal agents arrested Jonathan Kramer of Valencia on Saturday and according to a criminal complaint, he was arrested outside a hotel in Cranberry where he allegedly paid cash to stay for a week. 

That hotel was the Cranberry Park Hotel. 

After a search of Kramer’s house and hotel room occurred, agents confirmed that they found a rifle scope and boxes of ammunition, loaded rifle magazines, a semi-automatic rifle, a note and 30 knives.

The FBI also stated that it found social media correspondence that led investigators to believe that Kramer was planning an attack in support of ISIS.  

Kramer has now been charged with one count of receipt or transfer of a firearm or ammunition knowing or having reasonable cause to believe such firearm or ammunition will be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism.   

AAA: Gas Prices Jump as Crude Oil Rises

(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are 23 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at about $4.54 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. 

The national average for a gallon of regular gas has increased to $4.31, going up 16 cents over the past week as crude oil prices continue to rise.  

Volatility that is in the Strait of Hormuz has pushed crude oil back in the range of $100 per barrel for the first time since July. 

Prices at the gas pump are presently comparable to early June.  

The national average for a gallon of gas is going up during a season when gas prices typically go down because of a lower demand for gas. 

The report states that the average price that you can expect for a gallon of regular unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $4.58.

According to AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various Pennsylvania areas:     

$4.473      Altoona 
$4.577      Beaver 
$4.482      Bradford 
$4.453      Brookville 
$4.593      Butler 
$4.461      Clarion 
$4.448      DuBois 
$4.537      Erie 
$4.546      Greensburg 
$4.585      Indiana 
$4.596      Jeannette 
$4.561      Kittanning 
$4.594      Latrobe 
$4.586      Meadville 
$4.548      Mercer 
$4.477      New Castle 
$4.557      New Kensington 
$4.569      Oil City 
$4.563      Pittsburgh 
$4.415      Sharon 
$4.595      Uniontown 
$4.560      Warren 
$4.580      Washington 

Freedom Area School District going remote today after four bomb threats in just over two weeks

(File Photo of the Freedom Area School District Administration Office)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Freedom, PA) The Freedom Area School District received its fourth bomb threat since August 31st yesterday since school started last month and the FBI is investigating these incidents. 

All four bomb threats were received by email. 

The other three threats occurred on August 31st, September 8th and September 9th.  

According to Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible, the New Sewickley Township Police Department is working with the FBI to track down whoever is behind these emailed threats. 

The Freedom Area School District confirmed that it will move to a virtual, remote learning day today. 

Bible noted that whoever is making these bomb threats will be charged with making terroristic threats once they get caught.

Coraopolis woman cited after single-vehicle crash in Raccoon Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that forty-seven-year-old Carmen Hernandez of Coraopolis was cited after a single-vehicle crash occurred in Beaver County on August 12th.

This happened in the area of Fishpot Road in Raccoon Township at 11:44 a.m.

Hernandez’s vehicle left the road before hitting an embankment and overturning on its side. 

There were no reported injuries. 

Firearm found in Beaver County by state police

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that a firearm was found or surrendered in Beaver County.

This occurred on Thursday at 3:02 p.m. in Greene Township.

The gun was a Smith & Wesson 9 mm and it was discovered along 3036 US Route 30.  

Man wanted in Maryland arrested in Brighton Township; arrest prior to requisition

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that an arrest prior to requisition occurred in Brighton Township on Saturday.

Sixty-five-year-old Russell Patrick Ashford was arrested along the 3000 block of Tuscarawas Road at 10:20 a.m.

According to state police, they encountered Ashford during a traffic stop and determined that he was wanted by authorities in the state of Maryland.

Ashford was subsequently charged with arrest prior to requisition and he was put in the Beaver County Jail pending extradition proceedings. 

License plate stolen in South Heights Borough; investigation ongoing

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that are investigating the theft of a license plate in Beaver County.

This occurred on Thursday at approximately 6:22 a.m. along 4051 Jordan Street in South Heights Borough.

Police confirmed that a 2018 Chevrolet was involved and a Honda vehicle had the license plate taken from it.

The license plate was worth $16.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.   

Freedom Area School District receives fourth bomb threat in just over two weeks

(File Photo of the Freedom Area School District Administration Office)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Freedom, PA) The Freedom Area School District is evacuating students because of a fourth bomb threat since August 31st. 

The fourth one occurred this morning.  

A notice to families of the district stated at this time that there was another “emailed bomb threat for all schools.” The high school principal was emailed a threat specifically to that building in the previous three instances.

The first threat occurred on August 31st and the next two were on two straight days, September 8th and September 9th.

According to the Freedom Area School District, all schools are evacuating to satellite locations.

Students will walk to the satellite locations with the staff and the teachers.

Parents are told not to come to the satellite locations or the campus, as students are not being dismissed currently and police are blocking the roads so students can evacuate safely. 

The district also confirmed that there has “been no event outside of the emailed threat.”

There were no reported injuries.