A.M.BRIEFING: Friday

West Decatur man killed in motorcycle crash

A West Decatur man was killed Thursday around 5:45 p.m. in Graham Township, Clearfield County, after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into an oncoming pick-up truck.

State police say 51-year-old Norman R. Wisor Jr., was riding a 2005 Suzuki motorcycle when he lost control in the northbound lane of Schoonover Road, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the front end of a 1999 GMC Sierra truck.

The crash killed Wisor, police said in a release. It was unclear if the truck’s driver, 65- year-old John D. Berkey, of Jennerstown, and his two passengers were injured. All of them wore seat belts, police said. Police didn’t know if Wisor was wearing a helmet.

Pistol stolen from Rush Township home

State police say a Ruger P95 9mm pistol was stolen from a home in Rush Township sometime since May 18.

Police say the resident reported the black and silver colored gun was taken from the bedroom closet of his apartment at 215 Lochlomond Road in Philipsburg.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police at Philipsburg at 342-3370.

Fire destroys trailer home in Centre Hall

A fire around noon Thursday gutted a trailer home in the Blackhawk mobile home park in Centre Hall. Centre Hall Fire Company Chief Chad Packer said the fire started in a bedroom of the trailer, where a family of five lived with cats and dogs.

“My dog woke me up,” said Nicole Morrison, who lived there with her three children. “I chucked all the cats outside and let the dogs go and ran out in the yard.”

Morrison said they lost one cat in the fire. She said no one else in her family was harmed.

Centre Hall, Boalsburg, Pleasant Gap and Undine fire companies responded.

Two dirt bikes stolen in Milesburg

Two XR100 dirt bikes were taken from the 700 block of Market Street in Milesburg, state police reported.

This happened sometime between May 24 at 5:30 p.m. and May 25 at 4 p.m., police said.

One bike is a red and black 2001 Honda. The other is a red and white 1991 Honda.

Anyone with information is asked to call state police at Rockview at 355-7545.

Man gets probation for pointing gun at trooper

A Karthaus man accused of pointing a loaded gun at a state trooper who was responding to his Pine Glen home after reports of a suicidal man will spend two years on probation.

Judge Thomas King Kistler sentenced 28-year-old Steven P. Veres Jr., after Veres pleaded guilty to a felony aggravated assault charge. State police Trooper Benjamin Clark testified at Veres’ preliminary hearing that Veres threatened to kill him after Clark confronted him in his living room.

Clark shot Veres with a taser gun, and Veres turned and pointed a loaded shotgun at him, Clark testified.

As part of the plea agreement, Veres will participate in counseling, an anger management evaluation, and is barred from having or possessing weapons, said District Attorney Michael Madeira, who was prosecuting. Veres took the plea days before his scheduled trial.

Port Matilda mayor retiring after 10 years

After serving for the past 10 years as the mayor of Port Matilda, Elvira “Vi” Duncan is retiring. Thursday was her last official day in office.

Duncan was appointed to the position in 1999, after the previous mayor resigned. She was re-elected to the position by voters several times, most recently in 2005.

Quay Reese, Port Matilda Borough Council president, said the council will likely move to name a new mayor at its next meeting, June 16, when it will also seek to fill a borough council position.