Nurse gave teen abortion pills, but attempt landed girl in ER, cops say

WASHINGTONVILLE -- A nurse gave a pregnant 16-year-old girl abortion pills, and the girl ended up in the emergency room with severe pain from what doctors called an "incomplete abortion," charges say. Jennifer A. Whalen, 38, of 15 1/2 Water St., Washingtonville, said the teen came to her in January 2012 to tell her she was pregnant and did not want to mother a child, court papers say. After the two couldn't find a local physician willing to perform the abortion, they set out searching online, police said.

Brutal Route 239 crash claims life of Shick-area man

UNION TWP. -- A Shickshinny-area man died in a grim car crash Saturday that one veteran firefighter called the worst he's ever seen. Jordan Sult crashed his black Chevrolet Cobalt about 2:30 p.m. along Route 239, about two miles north of Route 11, a deputy coroner confirmed. State Police say Sult was heading south toward Shickshinny when the car traveled up an embankment and flipped before hitting a utility pole. The passenger side of the car hit the pole as it flipped, said police. Firefighter Bob Bomboy said it was the worst damage he's seen in nearly 30 years of volunteering.

Dad accused of baby abuse wants 'fair shot'

CATAWISSA -- A Catawissa-area man accused of abusing his 2-month-old son was "hoping for a fair shot" to stay out of prison yesterday, he said before a hearing. Matthew J. Sacks' lawyer said the father understood he wouldn't be able to see his infant son, who police say was covered in bruises and suffered bone fractures as a result of Sacks' violent temper. Attorney Greg Moro said they would even understand if the court kept Sacks, 25, from seeing his 6-year-old daughter, who police say Sacks also abused when she was 4 months old.

Berwick football game postponed

ALLENTOWN - The Bulldogs will have to wait until tomorrow to face off against Archbishop Wood. Organizers postponed the football game, originally scheduled for tonight, due to fear of freezing rain. The teams will now face off in Allentown's J. Birney Crum Stadium at 5 p.m. Saturday for the right to represent the East in the PIAA Class AAA title game.

Armed robbery suspect sought

BLOOMSBURG -- A man with a garbage bag wrapped around his face and armed with a utility knife tried to rob the owner of Em's Pink Wieners hot dog cart early Friday morning in the parking lot at the corner of East Main Street and Lightstreet Road, police say. Emily Zenzel said she and friend Brian McCollom were packing up the cart, which was set up in the public lot next to the Bloomsburg Diner, around 2:15 a.m. Although she usually stays open until 3 a.m., it was pouring rain and business was slow, Zenzel said.'Thought it was a joke'

Killer gets up to 40 years in prison

BLOOMSBURG -- Abraham Kline will serve the maximum 20-40 years in state prison for killing his girlfriend, a judge ruled Thursday afternoon. Kline came to Columbia County Court for sentencing in the death of Jocelyn Romano, 35, in May 2012 outside their home near Waller. A jury convicted Kline of third-degree murder on Nov. 19. Kline, 40, shot Romano after the two argued over her plans to return to her estranged husband and their three children in Washington, Pa.

Father broke infant's bones in abuse, cops say

CATAWISSA -- A father is facing charges for abusing his 2-month-old son, leaving the infant with broken bones and bruises on at least three separate occasions, police say. It's the second time Children and Youth officials have investigated Matthew J. Sacks, 25, Catawissa, police say. The baby boy's injuries are startlingly similar to fractures and bruises his half-sister suffered in 2008, police note.

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