DUI Task Force reports arrest
While participating in the Bradford County DUI Task Force by performing roving patrol on Sept. 21, officers with the Athens Borough Police Department observed a pick-up truck driving on North Elmira Street traveling across the double yellow line. The vehicle then drifted back into the correct lane as it approached the intersection of North Elmira Street and West Pine Street. The suspect vehicle slowed to nearly a stop at the intersection, marked with a flashing yellow light. There was no oncoming traffic to yield to, which led officers to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle.
The driver was identified as 28-year-old Johnathan A. Houghtalen of Waverly. Upon speaking with Houghtalen, officers could detect the odor of alcohol emitting from his person. He was asked to perform a standard battery of field sobriety tests, which he performed in an unsuccessful manner. He failed to complete all the tests before telling the officers that he was "probably not safe to drive right now."
Houghtalen was arrested and charged with DUI: highest rate of alcohol, DUI: general impairment, driving on the right side of roadway, obedience to traffic control devices and drivers required to be licensed. He will face these charges at a preliminary hearing with Magisterial District Judge Michael Shaw on Nov. 21.
Walmart reports theft of goods
On Oct. 12, Asset Protection Associates with Walmart contacted Athens Township Police to report an incident of retail theft. The associate told officers that while walking around the store, Michael T. Johnson, 21, of Sayre, and a female picked up a footrest and proceeded to hide other merchandise in the bottom drawer of the item. The two suspects then went to the self checkout of the store and proceeded to pay for the footrest but none of the concealed merchandise.
As the two tried to leave the store with the unpaid merchandise, they were approached by the associate and asked to return to the store, where the police were contacted.
Johnson was subsequently charged with one count of retail theft.