A traffic stop Sunday in Kingston led to drug and weapon possession charges against a man police said initially gave a false name to officers. Kingston police charged Joseph White with four counts including illegal possession of a weapon and of a controlled substance. White, who originally identified himself as Joseph Williams, had been driving with a suspended license, police said.
Officers stopped White's vehicle on South Goodwin Avenue for a suspended or expired registration. A search of the vehicle yielded a box of ammunition and a loaded .45-caliber handgun, police said. White is a convicted felon with numerous arrests for robbery and weapons violations, police said. Officers took him into custody and later to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for an overnight arraignment.
Police in Pittston Township arrested Richard Koval, 34, of West Wyoming, for driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and other offenses Saturday after they said he led them on a chase through a parking lot.
As police activated their lights and sirens, officers said, Koval drove the vehicle through the parking lot of the Knights Inn Motel at 310 Route 315 at a high rate of speed, made a right turn and ran over a curb. Shortly after the vehicle came to a quick stop, officers said, Koval exited his vehicle and the vehicle began to roll back, nearly missing the police cruiser.
Koval showed signs of driving under the influence and he was transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital to submit to a blood test, officers said. Criminal charges are pending based on the results from a blood test.
Laflin police arrested Stanley Albert Ropieski, 53, of Parsonage Street, Pittston, on Saturday for possession of counterfeit currency, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of stolen property and possession of an altered Pennsylvania vehicle registration. Ropieski was lodged in the Luzerne County Prison in lieu of $30,000 bail.