Latest news with #PennsylvaniaStatePolice
CBS News
an hour ago
- General
- CBS News
Crews searching for man whose canoe tipped over on Schuylkill River in Pottstown, Pennsylvania
A man is missing after his canoe tipped over while on the Schuylkill River in Pottstown, Pennsylvania Sunday night. Officials said rescue crews were called to the 900 block of Industrial Highway near the Keim Street Bridge just before 9 p.m. on June 1 after getting reports of people in distress. According to Chester County dispatch, a canoe with two people inside tipped over and one person was able to make it to shore. Sources tell CBS News Philadelphia that another another man, who is in his 20s went under the water and didn't resurface. Crews from both Chester and Montgomery counties, along with Pennsylvania State Police, searched until about 2:30 a.m. Monday before calling off efforts for the night. They are expected to resume searching around 9 a.m. This is a developing story. CBS News Philadelphia will provide more details as new information becomes available. , and contributed to this report.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bill OBoyle: Paul Miller's Law really is about saving lives
Jun. 1—WILKES-BARRE — PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll this week said Paul Miller's Law is about saving lives. Carroll is absolutely correct — if, and only if, people listen to what he said. And to what Paul Miller Jr.'s mother has said over and over again since her son was killed as a result of a distracted driver. And trust me on this, Eileen Miller's advocacy is not over — she will always fight to convince all drivers to not text and drive and she will also advocate for stronger penalties for those who refuse to comply. "Your choices behind the wheel can change lives forever," Carroll said. "Make the safe choice. Put your phone out of reach and don't text and drive. One text, one glance down — it could kill someone. And it's not worth it." Paul Miller's Law takes effect on Thursday , June 5 — making it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 37 into law on June 5, 2024 — and now, one year later, Paul Miller's Law goes into effect to prohibit the use of hand-held devices while driving, even while stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red light or other momentary delay. Under Paul Miller's Law, drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and — if they are using hands-free technology — to make phone calls, use a GPS and listen to music. The law is named for Paul Miller Jr., who was tragically killed in a crash with a tractor-trailer in 2010 in Monroe County, as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving. Since his death, Paul's mother Eileen Miller has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving. Listen to how this devastating news would inspire Paul's mom to become the loudest voice advocating for drivers to use common sense behind the wheel. She never wants any other parent to experience what she and her husband, Pail Sr., have endured. "Nearly 15 years ago, two Dunmore state troopers knocked on my door to tell me that my son was killed," said Mrs. Miller. "My son did everything right — he was killed by someone else's unsafe choices behind the wheel. This law is for every family in Pennsylvania that doesn't have to experience two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by distracted driving. Paul Miller's Law will be a beacon of protection for every driver and passenger in Pennsylvania." PSP Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris said the Pennsylvania State Police will enforce the new law to its full extent. "Distracted driving is not a minor offense," Col. Paris said. "Just one second of inattention can result in irreversible consequences. We urge all drivers to stay focused behind the wheel." According to PennDOT data, in 2024 there were 9,950 crashes involving a distracted driver, resulting in more than 6,000 injuries and 49 fatalities. Distracted driving crash data, however, is believed to be under-reported due to many drivers' reluctance to admit to being distracted at the time of a crash. Safe driving tips —If you are expecting a text message or need to send one that can't wait, pull over and park your car in a safe location before using your device. —Ask a passenger to be your "designated texter." Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages. —Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving. —Cell phone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone's "do not disturb" feature, silence notifications or put your phone in the trunk, glove box or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination. Cell phone use is not the only distraction while driving. Anything that takes your attention away from driving, your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel is a distraction. Driver behavior is the leading factor in 83% of the crashes that occur annually in Pennsylvania. These behaviors include driving distracted, impaired or aggressive. For information on distracted driving, visit As Carroll said, and as Eileen Miller passionately believes, Paul Miller's law will save lives. That should be enough for all drivers to obey this law. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
PA inmate sentenced for tattooing a minor in Bradford County
BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WETM) — An inmate in a Pennsylvania State Prison was sentenced to more time recently after officials say he was caught driving with a suspended license and was also found guilty of giving tattoos without consent to a minor, according to a release from the Bradford County District Attorney's Office. Carl W. Button, 53, was sentenced to an additional 12 months on top of his minimum of 14 months to a maximum of 48 months in state prison for the crimes of driving under suspension, DUI-related, and the misdemeanor of tattooing a minor, as stated by the DA's Office. Wysox man sentenced for harassing neighbors over several months The DA said that Button was charged by Pennsylvania State Police with driving under suspension, DUI-related, in March of 2024, following a traffic stop on Marsh Street in Wyalusing Borough after he was found to have a suspended license. Further, the DA states Button's charge of tattooing a minor stems from an investigation by a Pennsylvania State Trooper after reports that Button was giving tattoos to a minor in Bradford County without the consent of the parents. Button was already in prison on other charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia and avoiding arrest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
UPMC Altoona to host annual Kids Safety Day
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) – UPMC Altoona is encouraging local families to join its annual Kids Safety Day event on Saturday, May 31. The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Station Medical Center parking lot, is meant to provide education and resources to attendees on child car seat safety, as well as bike safety and dental care. Families in the community will have the opportunity to view interactive and educational demonstrations led by safety experts and state and local first responders such as the Pennsylvania State Police, Altoona Police Department, Altoona Fire Department, STAT MedEvac, and more. In addition to safety education, UPMC Altoona wants to ensure children are riding their bikes safely by handing out helmets that will be fitted on-site by the physical therapists from UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, and participants will even have a chance to win a bike of their own. Local food truck vendors will be on-site with a variety of food available to purchase, and registration for the event is not required. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Teen hits Cambridge Springs firetruck in weekend crash
ROCKDALE TOWNSHIP — A Cambridge Springs Volunteer Fire Department pumper truck sustained minor damage when a 17-year-old struck it in a crash over Memorial Day weekend, according to a report from Pennsylvania State Police at Meadville. Neither the two drivers nor two passengers in the firetruck were injured in the crash, which took place Saturday at about 9:46 a.m. on Miller Station Road just south of Mackey Hill Road, according to the report. When he saw a car coming fast around a curve toward the stopped firetruck he was driving, Chief Nathan Walczak had one thought on his mind. 'I was holding on, hoping they were going to stop in time, but they did not,' Walczak said, recalling the crash in a phone interview Thursday. 'It could've been way worse. Everyone got very lucky — nobody was hurt. That's the most important part.' The crash occurred when the 17-year-old girl was traveling south on Miller Station Road and the firetruck, a 2013 Spartan Motors pumper, was stopped in the northbound lane, police reported. The girl, traveling at a high rate of speed, tried to navigate a right-hand curve in the roadway but crossed over into the northbound lane and struck the truck before she could stop. Walczak said that Cambridge Springs firefighters had been on a training exercise with Rockdale Township staff members and were following their counterparts back to the Rockdale Township building, located near the intersection of Miller Station and Mackey Hill roads. As a Rockdale Township front loader was pulling into the township building, he saw the 17-year-old's car coming around the curve just north of where he was stopped. The girl's 1999 Toyota Corolla sustained functional damage in the crash, according to police, who did not release the driver's name due to her age. The fire truck sustained minor damage to its front bumper, Walczak said, and remains in service. In addition to Walczak, two other firefighters were riding in the truck, a 63-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. Both drivers and passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to police. The crash was recorded by security cameras at the Rockdale Township building, according to police. After reviewing footage of the incident, police charged the 17-year-old driver with failure to drive on the right side of the roadway. Walczak said it was the first time a department vehicle had been involved in a crash since he became chief in 2023.
