State orders Berwick Hospital ER to shut down

BERWICK — The state Department of Health has ordered Berwick Hospital to shut down its emergency room as of 7 a.m. Saturday because of a lack of staff, according to the department.

In a letter sent out to local government entities, the department wrote that while Berwick Hospital remains open, the emergency department has been ordered to suspend its services as of tomorrow morning, ban admissions and "require that the facility provide essential life saving measures and transfer patients that come to the hospital."

Interstate 80 east shut down near Danville

DANVILLE — Motorists are advised that both lanes for Interstate 80 eastbound and the left (passing) lane of Interstate 80 westbound are closed at mile marker 227 due to a multi-vehicle crash.

Eastbound traffic is being detoured using Routes 54, 11 and 42. 

The eastbound lanes are expected to be closed for several hours. Updates will follow. Motorists should be alert, watch for lane changes, expect travel delays, and drive with caution.

Alleged Main Street shooter turns himself in

BLOOMSBURG — A man who police say shot a store owner during a brawl on Main Street early Sunday turned himself in on Wednesday and was sent to jail.

Kenneth Bruce Meeker, 21, of  214 Pennsylvania Ave., Sunbury, walked into the police station around 11 a.m. Wednesday, police said..

His attorney, Michael J. Rudinski of Williamsport, had called officer David Bowman earlier in the morning to make arrangements for Meeker’s surrender and accompanied the young man, Sgt. Michael Fosse said.

Man sought after shooting near town bar

BLOOMSBURG — Police are looking for a man they say shot someone in the leg after a fight broke out among two men banned from a town bar and a nearby business owner early this morning.

Police are still attempting to sort out what happened, but say two men were threatening to “shoot up” The Capitol after they were turned away Saturday night.

The men — identified by police as Kenneth Bruce Meeker and Manuel Santos — were banned from the bar Friday night and told not to come back, but did anyway, Bloomsburg police officer David Bowman said.

Rescuers snag bridge jumper from river

MONTOUR TWP. — A suicidal man leaped off the Catawissa bridge into the rain-swollen Susquehanna River on Wednesday morning, only to be plucked out of the water alive by emergency personnel aboard a rescue boat.

Richard Banks, 69, of Berwick was moaning in pain as rescuers stationed at the Catawissa Boat Club launch lifted him out of Bloomsburg Fire Department’s rescue boat and onto a back board for ambulance transport to Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital.

Columbia County prison guard charged in sex assault

BLOOMSBURG — A Columbia County corrections officer inappropriately touched a female inmate in her cell, State Police say.

Now Joseph Rogutski, 59, of Mount Carmel is charged with institutional sexual assault, indecent assault and harassment, according to a press release.

The State Police Criminal Investigation Unit at the Bloomsburg barracks was called in to the Columbia County Prison on Aug. 31 to investigate a sexual assault, according to a press release.

Police accuse Rogutski of entering the cell of a female inmate on that day and inappropriately touching her. 

Police: Man drove into crowd, fatally beat mother

BERWICK — A 24-year-old man has confessed to driving through a crowd at a fundraiser in Berwick for victims of a fatal fire, then driving across the bridge and murdering his mother, police say.

Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes, 24, allegedly told investigators he was extremely frustrated when he drove his blue 2011 Honda Accord from Nescopeck to Berwick after arguing with his mother Saturday evening.

As he passed The Intoxicology Department on Second Street, he noticed the crowd in the parking lot, according to charges.

Car plows through crowd at benefit for fire victims

UPDATE 1:33 a.m.: The person who died in when the car plowed into a crowd in Berwick was a 50-year-old woman from Wilkes-Barre, according to Columbia County Coroner Jeremy Reese. State Police, meanwhile, say 17 people in Berwick were injured.

Twelve of the injured were taken to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Three were taken to Geisinger Wyomong Valley. One was taken to Berwick Hospital and one was taken to Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, said Tpr. Anthony Petroski.

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