Two charged with selling crack in Ephrata area
Police, fire log
  • Zuania Pagan, left, and Jose Castillo

By STAFF
Published Dec 07, 2008 00:17
Ephrata police arrested two Lebanon residents Friday night as the result of an undercover drug investigation that began in November.

Police said Zuania Pagan, 23, and Jose Castillo, 18, were taken into custody after delivering $1,000 of crack cocaine to an undercover Ephrata police officer in the 1500 block of Lincoln Heights Avenue, Ephrata Township, at about 8:40 p.m.

After the transaction took place in Pagan's vehicle, police said, the pair drove west on Route 322 toward Lebanon.

An arrest team followed and pulled over the Pagan car at a traffic stop on Route 322 at Clay Road, Clay Township, according to Ephrata police, who were assisted by Clay Township police and state police at Ephrata.

Pagan and Castillo also stand accused of selling $1,000 of crack cocaine to an undercover officer on Nov. 21.

Police said that sale also was made in Pagan's vehicle and took place about 10:25 p.m. in a school zone in the first block of Oriole Drive, Ephrata Township.

Arrangements for Friday's sale were made at that time, police said.

According to police, Pagan and Castillo were each charged with two felony counts of delivering crack cocaine and two felony counts of criminal conspiracy to deliver crack cocaine and arraigned early Saturday before District Judge David Miller.

Each suspect was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail, police said.

ACCIDENTS:
Multiple vehicle accidents were reported Saturday night as a light snowfall hit parts of the county.

Crashes were reported in Brecknock, East Donegal, East Hempfield, Ephrata, Manheim, Mount Joy, Penn, Rapho, Warwick and West Donegal townships, among others, according to county officials.

"It's county-wide," said a police dispatcher Saturday night.

Earlier accidents included:

•State Police at Lancaster reported a one-vehicle accident which happened in Strasburg Township Saturday morning.

Police said Darwin W. Figueroa, 24, Paradise, was in his car at Strasburg Pike and Precision Avenue going east when he fell asleep and lost control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway and hit the southwest corner of a residence in the 200 block of Strasburg Pike.

Police said Figueroa was later arrested for driving under the influence and related charges after the 7:45 a.m. crash.

•New Holland police investigated a two-vehicle accident that happened shortly after 3 p.m. Friday on Division Highway at Gristmill Road, Earl Township.

Police said vehicles driven by Harold Edmonds and Christine Martin crashed when Martin tried to turn right as Edmonds tried to pass on the right.

The addresses of the drivers were not listed.

ARREST:
City police said that Melvin J. Vassor, 18, address unknown, was arrested by Manor Township police at 5:28 p.m. Friday. Police said Vassor was charged with resisting arrest and criminal mischief.

DISORDERLY:
Tina Marie Keefer, 29, Baltimore, Md., was charged with disorderly conduct after police were called to Howard Johnson, 2102 Lincoln Highway, twice for loud behavior Friday, East Lampeter Township police said.

Police responded to calls at 12:10 a.m. and 2:20 a.m. after she refused to calm down in the restaurant, police said.

DOG BITE:
A woman was jogging in the 5900 block of Wanner Road in Narvon when a dog ran out from a property and bit her on the leg at 8:25 a.m. Saturday, State Police at Ephrata said. The dog's owner, Elmer Lapp, was cited with a dog law violation, police said.

UNDERAGE DRINKING:
Southern Regional police charged three persons with underage drinking at 3:21 a.m. Saturday.

Cody Kurtz, 18, of the 500 block of Druid Hill Road, Lancaster; Shawn Deitzel, 20, of the 500 block of Shultz Road, Washington Boro; and Tyler Zimmerman, 18, of the 100 block of Frogtown Road, East Earl, were arrested after police received an anonymous call that their car, "which didn't belong there," according to police, was parked in a driveway in the 600 block of Green Hill Road, Conestoga Township. Police said Kurtz was unresponsive; he was transported to a hospital for observation and treatment.

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA:
Southern Regional police officer Ryan Lawrence filed charges Saturday against Andrew Erik Steed, 25, of the 3200 block of Safe Harbor Road, Conestoga, for possession of 20.1 grams of marijuana.

According to police, he was stopped during a DUI patrol at 12:22 a.m. on Nov. 11, in the 2200 block of the New Danville Pike, Pequea Township, when the marijuana was discovered.

•Christopher Duncan, 26, of the 700 block of North Pine Street, was charged Saturday with possession of 1.5 ounces of marijuana and traffic charges including speeding.

Southern Regional police found Duncan to be in possession of the marijuana during a traffic stop in the 3200 block of Main Street, Conestoga, at 11 p.m. on Nov. 9.

DUI:
Bradley David Lutchkus, 31, Leola, was pulled over for speeding at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday at routes 30 and 222, Manheim Township, and arrested for driving under the influence, State Police at Lancaster said.

•State Police at Lancaster said they stopped Harold Norris Pentz at 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the 200 block of Lampeter Road, East Lampeter Township, for traffic violations. The 25-year-old Lancaster man was arrested for driving under the influence, police said.

•Nicole Lynn Knaub, 22, Coatesville, was stopped for a vehicle code violation shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday on Route 741 at Smyrna Road, Salisbury Township, and arrested for driving under the influence, State Police at Lancaster said. She was charged in district court.

•Charles Melina, 51, of the first block of Saddler Drive, Christiana, was charged with driving while imbibing early Saturday, East Lampeter Township police said. Melina was initially stopped in the 200 block of East Main Street in Leola and a subsequent blood alcohol test registered .12, police said.

•Bryan David Culp, 22, of Zionsville, was cited for driving while imbibing Saturday, State Police at Ephrata said. Police initially responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at 1 a.m. and found Culp in the 100 block of Twin County Road, where he was found to be intoxicated, police said.

DRUGS/WEAPONS CHARGES:
City police said that Esteban Rodriguez-Reyes, 39, of the first block of Garden Court, shot a gun into the air at 12:45 a.m. Saturday. Police said he was found to be in possession of a bag of suspected cocaine. Rodriguez-Reyes was charged with possession of cocaine and and discharging a firearm, police said.

FIGHT:
A 15-year-old Denver girl was cited with harassment after police responded to a fight at Cocalico High School, 800 S. Fourth St., Thursday at 10 a.m., East Cocalico Township police said.

HARASSMENT:
City police said that Juan J. Plaza, 26, of the first block of South Ann Street, was involved in a disturbance with his nephew at 3:39 p.m. Saturday. Police said Plaza reportedly stuck his nephew in the face several times.

Plaza was charged with harassment for punching his nephew; Plaza was also cited for failure to pay on a warrant.

HIT AND RUN:
A northbound vehicle struck a black metal mailbox and a wooden fence post in the 300 block of May Post Office Road, Strasburg Township, at 1 a.m. Thursday, State Police at Lancaster said.

THEFTS:
A Huffy men's bike parked at Garden Spot High School, 669 E. Main Street, New Holland, was stolen Friday evening while the owner was working in the school, New Holland police said. Loss was $200.

•A woman who took a Yellow Cab taxi to the New Holland Apartments, 146 E. Franklin Street, at around 2:45 a.m. Saturday left the scene without paying the driver, New Holland police said.

The rider gave her name as "Janah" and said she lived in the building, police said.

•Manheim Township police reported Friday that Officer Lee Billiter filed a criminal complaint charging Aaron C. Canestrare, 18, of the 1000 block of North Lime Street, with theft of leased property.

Police accused Canestrare of renting a PlayStation 3 from Rent-a-Center, 1326 Lititz Pike, last August and failing to return it or make payments.

•Alisha L. Holmens, 30, of the 400 block of Eden Road, was arrested for retail theft at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday by Officer Steve Newman, Manheim Township police said.

A Stauffer's of Kissel Hill employee observed Holmens place merchandise valued at $167 inside her purse and leave without paying, police said. She was released pending a summons.

•Rachael Sylvia Beadencup, 27, Leola, was cited with retail theft after she tried to take Nike sneakers worth $37 from Weaver's Store Thursday at 12:26 p.m., State Police at Ephrata said.

•A PS3 game system, value $400; an Xbox 360, value $300; 10 video games, value $60 each and $200 in cash were reported stolen from an address in the 100 block of South Marshall Street at 3:35 p.m. Friday, city police reported.

VANDALISM: State Police at Lancaster are investigating the destruction of a miniature Ferris wheel that was part of a Christmas display in the 3700 block of Newport Road, Leacock Township.

Police said the Ferris wheel, which was functional and seven or eight inches in diameter, was vandalized between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact police at 299-7650.

•A resident of the first block of Hawthorne Drive reported damage to the side mirror of her car, Manor Township police said Thursday. The vehicle was vandalized while it was parked outside her house, police said.

•A statue in the yard of a home in the 200 block of Hillcrest Road was knocked to the ground overnight Friday and Christmas lights were torn from a tree, New Holland police said. The damage totaled about $85.

•A man who lives in the 1000 block of Marshall Avenue told Manheim Township police that a shovel was taken from his garage and used to damage the interior of his unlocked vehicle while it was parked near his house overnight Wednesday.

Also in the 1000 block of Marshall Avenue late Wednesday or early Thursday, an unlocked vehicle parked in back of a residence was entered and a roadside emergency kit, valued at $200, was taken.

•Two cars parked in the 300 block of Route 322, Elizabeth Township, sustained damage between 9:30 p.m. Friday and 4:55 a.m. Saturday, State Police at Ephrata said. Tires were slashed and both vehicles were "keyed" while they were parked in a driveway, police said.

•Two bullet holes were found in a vehicle parked in the 400 block of Beaver Street at 9:13 a.m. Friday, city police reported. A second vehicle also had two bullet holes in its front windshield, police said. Two shell casings were found, police said.

WARRANTS:
Kevin Hafer, 27, of the 1800 block of Kramer Mill Road, was sent to Lancaster County Prison Friday, East Cocalico Township police said.He was picked up at his residence on a bench warrant out of Judge Nancy Hamill's office at 4 p.m., police said.

•Billie Jo George, 19, of the first block of Parkview Drive, Reinholds, was turned over to city police on a bench warrant for receiving stolen property Friday, East Cocalico Township police said. George was picked up at her home at 10:30 a.m., police said.

•City police reported that Robert J. Butler, 44, of the 500 block of Poplar Street, was taken into custody at 8:34 a.m. Saturday in the 400 block of St. Joseph Street on two outstanding warrant following a vehicle stop.

•Gary L. Hagelgans, 43, of the 200 block of West Mifflin Street, was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in an accident, city police said. Hagelgans was arrested by Manheim Borough police and conveyed to the city police station and held for arraignment on listed summary warrants, police said. The incident happened at 6:07 p.m. Friday.

•Brian M. Zawatsky, 27, of the first block of North Pine Street, was stopped in Akron Borough at 10:38 p.m. Friday and arrested on warrants, city police reported.

•Bernardo F. Ramos, 34, of the 100 block of Green Street, was stopped by city police at 9:28 p.m. Friday and was found to have an outstanding failure to pay a summary warrant, police reported.

•Jeremias J. Bonilla, 19, of the 700 block of South Plum Street, was charged with failure to pay warrants at 8:28 p.m. Friday, city police reported.
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