OSHA cites SSA Pacific, a Washington marine cargo handling company, for willful safety violations after 48-year-old longshoreman's fatal fall

U.S. Department of Labor


November 29, 2016

OSHA cites SSA Pacific, a Washington marine cargo handling company,
for willful safety violations after 48-year-old longshoreman's fatal fall.
Similar violations found at SSA Pacific facilities in Oregon, Florida

SEATTLE - For longshoremen who load and offload timber in the upper Northwest, every ship that sails into port carries a reminder of the litany of hazards they face at work. Loads of extremely heavy logs must be handled carefully to avoid serious and potentially fatal injuries. At the same time, employers must take all necessary steps to ensure the work area is free of avoidable hazards - a lesson apparently lost on a Seattle-based cargo handling company following the June 2016 death of a 48-year-old longshoreman.

Jim Meadows was employed by SSA Pacific when he suffered fatal injuries after he fell 10 feet onto the metal deck of the Forest Trader, a 21,000-ton bulk carrier cargo ship registered in Panama.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited his employer today for willfully failing to protect its workers from falls into hatches and cargo holds. The citations follow an OSHA investigation prompted by Meadows' death. Agency inspectors who boarded the vessel found numerous hazardous areas where no netting or fall protection measures existed.

"Jim Meadows death was preventable, if only a few commonsense measures had been taken to prevent his fall and to protect his coworkers," said Galen Blanton, OSHA regional administrator in Seattle. "OSHA has cited SSA Pacific for similar violations in Oregon and Florida in the past three years in the hopes of avoiding a tragedy like this. Every employer has a solemn duty to make sure its workers return home safely at the end of every shift."

Despite OSHA guidelines that clearly recommend fall protection measures, such as netting and temporary platforms, to protect workers, SSA management claimed the crews used "buddy systems" with spotters to warn one another when one of them was working too close to hatches or risked falling overboard when securing loads of logs. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union challenged the claim that a spotter system was in place.

View citations here

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

# # #

House exploded in Pine Island, New York; no injuries reported

NOVEMBER 30, 2016

PINE ISLAND, New York (WABC) --

A woman climbed out of rubble to safety after the house she was in exploded around her Tuesday afternoon in New York's Hudson Valley.

The explosion happened just before 4 p.m. at a home on Walling Road in Pine Island.

State police said the woman was the only person home when it blew up. She was initially trapped inside, but was able to free herself and her dog.

The home then burst into flames and was destroyed.

The family's memories were scattered all over the neighborhood. The blast was deafening.

"All of a sudden there was this huge explosion. It was awful," said Noreen Quackenbush, a neighbor. "It shook the house, it shook the windows, it knocked two plaques off the wall. We didn't know what it was."

The explosion lead to a massive fire. One neighbor who did not want to appear on TV said she'd never seen anything like it.

"You see how tall our trees are, and I just walked to the driveway and the flames were higher than the trees, and it's quite shocking," the neighbor said.

"As soon as we got out my stomach dropped. I didn't really know how to react," said Colby Quackenbush, a neighbor.

The woman's children were on the school bus headed home when it happened, and their father was on his way home from work.

"If it had been 15 minutes later, they'd probably all of them been in the house," Noreen said.

Firefighters are looking into what caused the explosion.

A GoFundMe was set up for the family the local police station reported on Facebook.

Baylor University, Texas A&M University and Texas Christian University agreed to correct hazardous waste violations and pay $200K civil penalty

Texas Universities Address Hazardous Waste Violations in EPA Settlement
Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M all correct violations
11/28/2016
Contact Information:
Jennah Durant or Joe Hubbard (R6Press@epa.gov)
214 665-2200

DALLAS – (Nov. 28, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced settlements with three Texas universities over hazardous waste violations at university facilities. Under the settlements, Baylor University, Texas A&M University and Texas Christian University all agreed to correct violations and pay a civil penalty. EPA discovered the violations by analyzing data the facilities are required to submit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as analysis of additional records that the universities voluntarily provided.

Under RCRA, facilities producing hazardous waste are regulated as small- or large-quantity generators. From 2011 to 2014, while Baylor claimed to be a small-quantity generator, at times it generated more hazardous waste than is allowed under this criteria. The reason this is important is that large-quantity generators have much more stringent employee training requirements, and need to prepare detailed contingency plans for first responders. Baylor also at times generated hazardous wastes without identifying them as such. In addition to paying a civil penalty of $11,330, Baylor corrected existing violations and will revise its standard operating procedures to ensure the lab will comply with RCRA. Baylor will also purchase and donate equipment to the Waco Fire Department to aid in identifying explosives, narcotics, and toxic chemicals during emergency responses.

Similar violations were found at Texas Christian University (TCU) facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU improperly operated as a large-quantity generator because it produced more than a kilogram per month of acutely hazardous waste, which are certain wastes that are more toxic in smaller quantities. During these incidents, TCU did not notify the state of Texas as required of large-quantity generators. Also, between 2011 to 2015, TCU did not make adequate or accurate hazardous waste determinations of its waste streams. TCU agreed to correct violations and pay a civil penalty of $30,591.

EPA discovered violations at four Texas A&M University campuses: Commerce; Kingsville Citrus Center in Weslaco, Texas; Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Amarillo, Texas; and the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group in College Station, Texas. Violations included generating enough hazardous waste to qualify as a large-quantity generator but not registering as one, generating acutely hazardous waste without proper notification, and not filing required paperwork. Under four separate settlements, Texas A&M agreed to correct all violations and pay a combined penalty of $141,912.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, passed by Congress in 1976 gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from "cradle-to-grave." RCRA sets national goals for protecting human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, conserving energy and natural resources, reducing the amount of waste generated, and ensuring wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner.

Learn more about RCRA: https://www.epa.gov/rcra

Learn more about EPA’s work in Texas: https://www.epa.gov/tx

J.C. Stucco and Stone ordered to pay nearly $345K in fines after OSHA finds company continued to expose workers to scaffolding hazards

November 23, 2016

J.C. Stucco and Stone ordered to pay nearly $345K in fines after OSHA finds
company continued to expose workers to scaffolding hazards
'Severe violator' cited 41 times since 2011 for federal violation

LANSDOWNE, Pa. - An administrative law judge recently affirmed nine cited federal safety and health violations and assessed $344,960 in fines against Lansdowne masonry contractor, J.C. Stucco and Stone. This follows a March 2016, hearing regarding six willful and three repeat citations issued after two 2014 inspections by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission adjudicates disputes between the U.S. Secretary of Labor and employers that contest OSHA violations. These disputes are heard in the first instance by an Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") whose decisions are reviewable by the full Commission.

The company - which OSHA has cited 41 times since 2011 for exposing workers to life-threatening scaffolding hazards - sought and was given a hearing by the commission in March 2016. The parties entered into a partial settlement agreement prior to the hearing, whereby J.C. Stucco agreed to accept the willful and repeat citation items as issued. As such, the only issue before the ALJ was the appropriateness of the penalties proposed by OSHA in 2014.

"J.C. Stucco has a long history of leaving workers unprotected from incidents that can cause injuries and possible death and result from falls and unsafe scaffolding," said Theresa Downs, OSHA area director in Philadelphia. "Workers should not have to risk their lives for the sake of a paycheck."

In 2011, OSHA placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program for multiple instances of repeated, high-gravity violations.

"This action demonstrates our commitment to take aggressive action when an employer repeatedly ignores its responsibilities regarding the health and safety of its workers," said Oscar L. Hampton III, regional solicitor in Philadelphia.

The parties have until Nov. 27, 2016, to appeal the ALJ's decision, and the commission has until Dec. 7, 2016, to determine whether to review the judge's order.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Philadelphia Area Office at 215-597-4955.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

# # #

OSHA fines Hua Dua Construction, aPhiladelphia contractor, $72K for fall, trenching safety violations

Nov. 23, 2016

OSHA fines Hua Dua Construction, aPhiladelphia contractor, $72K for fall, trenching safety violations

Employer name: Dollar General, doing business as Dollar General Store #13229 

Employer name:Hua Da Construction
917 Arch StPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 
Inspection site:934 Arch St.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On Nov. 9, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for one repeat and one serious safety violations.

Inspection findings: An inspection began on June 10, 2016, after OSHA received a complaint alleging that Hua Dua Construction employees were exposed to fall hazards as high as 18 feet. An agency inspector arrived at the work site and found employees exposed to imminent danger fall and trenching hazards.

Inspectors cited the repeat violation for lack of fall protection. The company was previously cited for similar violations in March and May 2016. The serious violation involved exposing workers to cave-in hazards due to an inadequate protective system.

Quote: "Hua Da Construction continues exposing its workers to falls, the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and caught-in trenching hazards, one of the top four regularly cited construction violations," said Theresa Downs, director of OSHA's Philadelphia Area Office. "When construction contractors like Hua Da Construction repeatedly ignore safety standards, they jeopardize worker safety."

Proposed penalties: $72,511

The citations can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/HuaDaConstructionInc_1154460.pdf

OSHA has a national emphasis program on trenching and excavations. Trenching standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than 5 feet, and soil and other materials kept at least two feet from the edge of trench.

The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Philadelphia office at 215-597-4955.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

# # #

OSHA issues more than $150K in fines to Don M. Barron Contractor Inc. of Louisiana for confined space violations after fumes sicken two workers

November 22, 2016

OSHA issues more than $150K in fines to Don M. Barron Contractor Inc. of Louisiana for confined space violations after fumes sicken two workers 

Employer Name:Don M. Barron Contractor Inc.
3600 Dick Taylor St.Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Citations Issued: Nov. 22, 2016

Investigation Findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to a report of unsafe working conditions May 17, 2016, after two employees of Don M. Barron Contractor lost consciousness and collapsed. The workers were exposed to hazardous gas while entering a sewer system. Federal safety and health investigators found the company allowed the workers inside a confined space without having tested the space for hazards.

OSHA issued citations for six serious violations and one willful violation. The agency also cited company for failing to maintain gas testing meters and rescue equipment, and for not training all employees in confined space entry.

Proposed penalties: $152,147

Quote: "Don M. Barron Contractor should never allow workers to enter a confined space without properly evaluating hazards inside the space," said Dorinda Folse, OSHA's area director in Baton Rouge. "This employer must take responsibility for making sure these types of injuries and the potential for loss of life do not happen again."

Link to citations: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/DonMBarroncontractors_1152688.pdf

Information: Don M. Barron Contractor specializes in commercial buildings and utilities. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Baton Rouge Area Office at 225-298-5458.

# # #

A drunk female driver going the wrong-way in Cherry Hill, New Jersey slammed head-on into a police cruiser.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (WPVI) --

A driver heading the wrong-way in Cherry Hill, New Jersey slammed head-on into a police cruiser.

It happened around 1:45 a.m. Saturday on westbound Route 70 between Ranoldo Terrace and Kingston Drive.

Police say the woman behind the wheel of her car, for some reason was traveling east in the westbound lanes.


The police officer in the cruiser traveling westbound had no way to avoid the vehicle, and they collided head-on.

The woman became trapped, and firefighters had to rescue her from the vehicle.

Both the officer and the woman were taken to Cooper Hospital for treatment and released.

The woman was issued a motor vehicle summonses and charged with Driving While Intoxicated.

POLICE CHASES CAUSE MANY CASUALTIES AND NEITHER PROTECT NOR SERVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY: Couple and Their 2-Year-Old Daughter Killed in Fiery Crash After Police Chase a Felon for a Mere Parole Violation

A Pennsylvania man who led police on a chase that ended with a fiery crash that killed three people in another car was likely driving more than 100 mph and had a suspended license, police said in a criminal complaint filed Friday.

Demetrius Coleman, 22, of Pittsburgh, is charged with criminal homicide, vehicular homicide, and aggravated assault with a vehicle among other charges in the Thanksgiving afternoon crash on a busy highway about 10 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. He remained in UPMC Mercy hospital in police custody Friday and doesn't have an attorney listed in court records.

Coleman was pulled over by East McKeesport police about 2:30 p.m. Thursday for making an illegal turn, then sped away when officers learned he was wanted for violating his probation for a felony charge of possessing with intent to deliver drugs, the complaint said. Specifics on the drug charge weren't immediately available Friday because it was a court holiday.

Two adults and a toddler in the car Coleman hit at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and state Route 48 were killed when it burst into flames. The crash scene, in North Versailles, was about 2 miles away from the initial traffic stop.

Coleman sped away from the convenience store parking lot where he was pulled over once officers turned up the drug warrant while checking his identification, the complaint said.

Online court records show Coleman was on probation for a 2012 drug possession case when he was charged with drug possession with intent to deliver in March. He was sentenced to jail, but then paroled and had his probation on the former case extended.

Accident reconstruction experts and other investigators on Friday were still piecing together the crash in which a second vehicle was also struck by Coleman's. Three women in that SUV were injured, but survived, police said. A female passenger in Coleman's vehicle broke her wrist, but was expected to survive.

Witnesses told reporters on Thursday the chase appeared to reach speeds at least double the 40 mph speed limit on Route 30, and Friday's criminal complaint more than confirmed that.

North Versailles Officer Norman Locke, one of the officers chasing Coleman, "at one point estimated the vehicle as exceeding 100 mph and he was not gaining on the vehicle at all," the criminal complaint said.

As Locke crested a hill, he could see the roof of Coleman's vehicle weaving in and out of traffic and approaching the intersection, where the light was red, the complaint said.

That's when Locke saw a "large fireball and the telephone pole was immediately sheared in half and flipped over," the complaint said. Police used a vehicle to push Coleman's vehicle away from the burning vehicle, where a man was found lying outside, dead, with the woman and child inside the burning wreckage.

The county medical examiner has yet to release the names of the victims.

Paul Trammel, who lives nearby and rushed to the scene when he heard the crash, said police "should have backed off" because "they would have eventually gotten the guy sooner or later. ... They had the guy's license plate."

But county homicide Detective Scott Scherer blamed Coleman for speeding away from the parking lot "with disregard to everything he does. He doesn't look, doing 30 or 40 mph out of the parking lot."

It wasn't immediately clear if the vehicle Coleman was driving was registered to him or someone else.

East McKeesport Officer Scott Lowden made the initial traffic stop, according to the complaint. Lowden's chief, Russell Stroschein, said the 17-year veteran has been placed on administrative leave, which is common in police incidents that result in fatalities



============ Couple and Their 2-Year-Old Daughter Killed in Crash After Police Chase on Thanksgiving 

Alexia Fernandez 19 hours ago
 
A couple and their 2-year-old daughter died on Thursday after a police chase ended in a devastating crash near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Police identified the victims as 28-year-old David Bianco, 21-year-old Kaylie Meininger, his fiancée, and their 2-year-old daughter, Annika. They were on their way to a Thanksgiving dinner at a relatives house, according to family members who spoke to Channel 11.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the victims by their friends and family to help in their burials.

Driver Demetrius Coleman, 22, is now facing homicide charges. Coleman was pulled over by East McKeesport police at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday after making an illegal turn, then sped away after officers discovered he was wanted for violating his probation for a felony charge stemming from drug charges, according to ABC News.

Three other people were injured and transported to a hospital. Coleman is facing charges of criminal homicide, vehicular homicide and aggravated assault with a vehicle among other charges.

The second car Coleman hit involved an SUV in which three women were injured but expected to survive. The car containing two adults and toddler that Coleman hit burst into flames. It was about two miles away from the initial traffic stop.

Coleman had sped away from a convenience store parking lot where he was pulled over by officers, according to ABC News.

Authorities told Channel 11 News, a local station, that speeds reached more than 100 mph during the chase. The police officer who initiated the chase was placed on administrative leave per protocol.

20 people displaced after a three-alarm fire burned through a condo complex in Green Brook, NJ early Friday morning.

GREEN BROOK, NJ – 

A three-alarm fire raged during the early morning hours at the Mountainview at Green Brook Condo/Apartment Complex. 

Fire units were dispatched a little after 3 a.m. Friday morning. The call was raised to three alarms by 3:40 a.m. 

A number of units are reported to have suffered heavy damage. There was a partial roof collapse in certain areas of the complex due to the extensive fire damage. 

The Red Cross has been called in to assist nearly 20 individuals that have been displaced by the fire. 



========


GREEN BROOK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A three-alarm fire burned through a condo complex in Green Brook early Friday morning.

The fire broke out inside the building on King Court just after 2:45 a.m.

At least two units in the two story condo were damaged.

More than a dozen residents were left homeless

No injuries were reported.

As the Arctic wind pattern migrates toward Europe it could allow frigid air to descend upon the U.S.

Dreaded Polar Vortex May Be Shifting

As the Arctic wind pattern migrates toward Europe it could allow frigid air to descend upon the U.S.

By Scott Waldman, ClimateWire on October 25, 2016


 
Credit: BENJAMIN LIPSMAN Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The polar vortex in recent years has brought the kind of miserable cold to northern states that made it hard to breathe outside. We’re probably in for more of the same.

That’s the finding of a new study published yesterday in the journal Nature that finds that as the Arctic warms, it is shifting the polar vortex to Europe. That in turn will bring more bursts of frigid cold to North America.

Those temperature drops could lead to miserable days in February and March, the research finds. Conversely, those drops in temperature could offset some of global warming’s effect in those regions, said Martyn Chipperfield, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Leeds and a co-author of the paper.

“Climate change can lead to extremes; it’s not like a regular change, everyone to the same extent at all times and places,” he said. “Despite the overall warming, you can get in places like the Northeastern U.S. extreme cold events. That’s consistent with climate change and global warming.”

The polar vortex is a fast-moving band of air that encircles the frigid Arctic in winter months and traps it there. Its movement is part of a decadeslong change.

The polar vortex has actually “shifted persistently” away from North America and into Europe and Asia over the last 30 years, researchers found. That results in cooling over North America but warmer winters in Europe.

As global warming decreases sea ice, the sun’s warmth absorbed by the ocean is instead released from the ocean for a longer period of time, which disrupts the vortex.

When the vortex weakens, a growing number of climate scientists argue, the cold Arctic air migrates to lower latitudes, as happened in early 2014 and 2015. The sudden and somewhat prolonged burst of cold broke pipes and water mains and more than doubled energy bills in places like New York and New England as it wreaked havoc across a wide swath of the country.

The movement of the vortex has come as the Arctic steadily loses sea ice, a process that some scientists are worried could accelerate in the future as the Earth continues to warm at record levels.

The loss of sea ice in the Arctic amid rapid warming has also weakened the vortex, said Judah Cohen, a climatologist with the private firm Atmospheric and Environmental Research. Cohen has said that weakening will lead to increasingly frigid periods of winter in North America, though other scientists dispute his claims. Though he has not studied a shift in the vortex itself, he said it could be consistent with his findings that the vortex is weakening.

“In general, a vortex that has shifted is a vortex that is weaker,” he said. “They’re consistent.”

Monthly global temperatures continue to set warmth records, but North America and Europe have seen extreme cold during some winter days as a result of the polar vortex. However, researchers found, the cold air brought into lower latitudes by the vortex has also offset global warming temperatures.

Still, don’t expect prolonged periods of cold every winter, Chipperfield said. Climate change increases periods of extreme weather, but that doesn’t mean every winter will bring the effects of the polar vortex, he said.

“You can get regional occurrences of cold temperatures despite what we think is an overall move to a warmer climate,” he said, adding, “Climate change can lead to more extreme events, not just a shift in the average.” Reprinted from ClimateWire with permission from Environment &

Benjamin Fox, the Wyckoff, New Jersey police chief who wrote racial profiling email, agrees to resign

Updated 2 hrs 36 mins ago
WYCKOFF, New Jersey -- A New Jersey police chief who was suspended without pay this summer for sending an email advocating racial profiling has resigned and will retire next week.

The Record reports former Wyckoff chief Benjamin Fox agreed to resign on Nov. 15 as part of deal reached with the Bergen County town. His 180-day suspension, which began Aug. 5, was also deemed "fully satisfied."

Fox will submit a retirement application dated Dec. 1 to the state Division of Pensions.

The agreement released Wednesday by Wyckoff officials contained no details about any conditions of Fox's retirement, the pension he will receive or what other benefits he will keep or sacrifice.

Fox was disciplined after the county prosecutor's office determined his 2014 email that said profiling has its place in law enforcement if done correctly "explicitly" violated a state directive prohibiting racial profiling.

Fox's email said profiling has its place in law enforcement if done correctly. It also said that "black gang members from Teaneck commit burglaries in Wyckoff. That's why we check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods.

Wyckoff is a mostly white suburb, 30 miles west of New York. In his email, he also noted that New York police stop white kids in black neighborhoods there because "they know they are there to buy drugs."

County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal said an investigation didn't uncover "any substantiated instances" of racial profiling by Wyckoff officers. Town officials said Fox's actions were an "isolated incident" and that there were no "systemic problems" in the police department.

Wyckoff police officers underwent mandatory training in cultural awareness, use of force, internal affairs, discrimination and liability compliance.

Racial profiling is widespread in New Jersey.  This idiot was caught because he was stupid enough to put his thoughts into an email.   Most of the racial profiling is conducted by the traffic officers.  Their most common excuse to illegally stop a driver is that "he was swerving to the right or to the left".  This way they target Asians, blacks, Hispanics and others who fit several other characteristics, including:  out of state plates (Texas, LA, etc), tattoos, long hair (mainly  Asian drivers), etc.  There are thousands of illegally stopped drivers in the court system, most of them in county jails.

Here is a case that illustrates the corrupt and illegal behavior of the New Jersey officers:

A young Asian driver (Vietnamese-American and US citizen) drives at night from Upstate New York (where he had visited his mother) to Louisiana.  Inside the car is his girlfriend, sleeping on the passenger side.  

He unfortunately has to drive through New Jersey Route 17 and then I-95.  Around 2 am on the 6th of July, he is illegally stopped by Ramsey police based on the excuse that he was swerving to the right.  Video from the police car shows that the Asian driver had Texas plates and had his window down.  The video does not show that he was swerving to the left or the right.

There is almost no traffic on the Route 17 at that time.

The Ramsey cops stop him, but they never tell him that he was swerving to the right.  They instead tell ask him if he was smoking marijuana.  The driver replies that "I am just smoking a cigarette".  However, the Ramsey cops claim that they smelled marijuana and that he was smoking the cigarette to mask the smell of marijuana.

These corrupt Ramsey cops order the Asian driver (who has chest-long hair, facial hair and tattoos) to get out of the car.

They immediately put him under detention and hand-cuff him.  All that without probable cause, as no marijuana is visible by visual inspection of the car.  These corrupt cops then demand that the driver allows them to search the car.  The poor Asian driver is scarred shitless at this time and allows them to search the car.  They search the car for at least half an hour and they do not find any drugs (as this poor driver did not have any drugs with him).

Eventually these corrupt cops always find an excuse to bring charges against the driver they have illegally stopped, including planting evidence, illegally jailing the driver, blackmailing the driver, etc.  This is happening at an alarming rate in New Jersey.
=============





Wyckoff, New Jersey police chief on voluntary leave during racial profiling investigation




Toni Yates reports investigators are looking into whether a New Jersey police chief defended racial profiling in an e-mail.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016
WYCKOFF, New Jersey -- A police chief is taking a temporary leave while prosecutors investigate whether he told his officers that racial profiling, including checking out "suspicious black people in white neighborhoods," has a place in policing.

Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy and acting Bergen County prosecutor Gurbir Grewal said in a statement Tuesday that their offices are investigating an email from Wyckoff police Chief Benjamin Fox.

"On its face, the email appears to be a clear violation of the Attorney General's policy strictly prohibiting racial profiling by police officers," they said in the statement. "We are conducting a full investigation and will take all appropriate measures."

At an emergency township committee meeting Tuesday night, Fox asked to go on administrative leave while the investigation is pending. A statement from the town said that Fox will explain the email to investigators and "demonstrate that neither he nor our police department has ever condoned or engaged in profiling."

The December 2014 email was released by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey on Tuesday. The group says it obtained it anonymously last week.

"Encouraging police officers to act with racial bias is unacceptable," said Alexander Shalom, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU in New Jersey. "Sowing mistrust at this level damages civil rights, and it threatens public safety by diminishing the faith people have in the police."

The email says that profiling has its place in law enforcement when used correctly and applied fairly. It says that officers should "check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods" because "black gang members" from a nearby town commit burglaries in Wyckoff, a mostly white suburb, 30 miles west of New York.

The email says that New York police stop white kids in black neighborhoods there because "they know they are there to buy drugs."

"It's insane to think that the police should just 'dumb down just to be politically correct,'" the email says. "The public wants us to keep them safe and I'm confident that they want us to use our skills and knowledge to attain that goal."

The email says officers should continue to be fair to people and treat them with respect but should use "counter reaction as the law allows" if someone resists an authorized demand.



======


Investigation into NJ police chief's email defending racial profiling





Toni Yates reports investigators are looking into whether a New Jersey police chief defended racial profiling in an e-mail.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016
WYCKOFF, New Jersey -- New Jersey prosecutors are investigating whether a police chief told his officers that racial profiling has a place in policing, including checking out "suspicious black people in white neighborhoods."

Tuesday night, there was news that the police chief would take temporary leave while prosecutors complete their investigation.

Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy and acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal said in a statement Tuesday that the offices are investigating an email from Wyckoff police Chief Benjamin Fox.

"On its face, the email appears to be a clear violation of the Attorney General's policy strictly prohibiting racial profiling by police officers," they said in the statement. "We are conducting a full investigation and will take all appropriate measures."

Someone answering the phone at Fox's office said he wasn't available to comment. A message left with the mayor of Wyckoff wasn't immediately returned.

The December 2014 email was released by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey on Tuesday. The group says it obtained it anonymously last week.

"Encouraging police officers to act with racial bias is unacceptable," said Alexander Shalom, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU in New Jersey. "Sowing mistrust at this level damages civil rights, and it threatens public safety by diminishing the faith people have in the police."

The email says that profiling has its place in law enforcement when used correctly and applied fairly. It says that officers should "check out suspicious black people in white neighborhoods" because "black gang members" from a nearby town commit burglaries in Wyckoff, a mostly white suburb, 30 miles west of New York. The email says that New York police stop white kids in black neighborhoods there because "they know they are there to buy drugs."

"It's insane to think that the police should just 'dumb down just to be politically correct,'" the email says. "The public wants us to keep them safe and I'm confident that they want us to use our skills and knowledge to attain that goal."

The email says that officers should continue to be fair to people and treat them with respect, but they should use "counter reaction as the law allows" if someone resists an authorized demand.

"Above all, do what you have to do and that which the law allows you to do to remain safe," the email says.

Crystal Window & Door Systems PA LLC cited for 8 violations at its Dalton, Pennsylvania, facility and fined $75K for not correcting safety hazards following worker's finger amputation

Nov. 22, 2016

OSHA fines window manufacturer nearly $75K for not correcting
safety hazards following worker's finger amputation
Crystal Window & Doors cited for 8 violations at its Dalton, Pennsylvania, facility

Employer name:

Crystal Window & Door Systems PA LLC

Inspection site:

204 Franklin Valley Road

Dalton, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On Nov. 14, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for eight serious and one other-than-serious safety violations. 

Inspection findings: An inspection began on May 16, 2016, after a complaint alleging an amputation injury in January 2016 at the window manufacturer's Dalton facility was not reported to OSHA. It was also conducted as part of OSHA's national emphasis program focused on amputations.
Inspectors cited the company for serious violations involving:

• No established energy control program.
• Powered industrial trucks operated by employees without proper training.
• Unguarded machinery.
• A mechanical power press operated without a single-stroke mechanism, which prevents worker exposure to amputation hazards and other injuries.
• Mechanical power presses not periodically and regularly inspected and tested.
• Damaged electrical equipment.

The other-than-serious violation was due to the lack of a written hazard communication program.

Quote: "In January 2016, an employee of this company suffered a finger amputation on his first day of work. Since then, Crystal Window & Door Systems has not taken the necessary actions to correct the safety hazards that caused the amputation," said Mark Stelmack, director of OSHA's Wilkes-Barre Area Office. "When employers fail to provide a safe workplace, we will hold them legally accountable."
Proposed penalties: $74,826
The citations can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CrystalWindowsandDoors_1147868.pdf

Since 1990, Crystal Window & Doors has grown to be one of the nation's leading window manufacturers. Headquartered in Flushing, New York, the company and its subsidiaries have manufacturing space at four plants in New York, Chicago, St. Louis and Riverside, California. Crystal employs over 400 people at its main factory, regional branches, subsidiaries and affiliate firms. Crystal branch offices are located in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri. Its products are distributed in more than 35 states.

The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Wilkes-Barre Office at 570- 826-6538.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

# # #

More than 4,000 fires occur annually on Thanksgiving as celebrants deep-fry turkeys, boil potatoes, bake pies and more.

Cooking Injuries Peak During Thanksgiving Holiday
November 26, 2014


Thanksgiving Day has more than double the number of home cooking fires than an average day, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. More than 4,000 fires occur annually on Thanksgiving as celebrants deep-fry turkeys, boil potatoes, bake pies and more.

“Splashes, spills, slips, burns and cuts are just a few of the many cooking hazards that occur during the Thanksgiving meal preparation,” said Arthur Sanford, MD, burn surgeon at Loyola University Health System. “Adults doing the cooking are often injured but sadly children often also get into harm’s way.”


Deep-frying turkeys causes an estimated $15 million in U.S. property damages, says Arthur Sanford, MD, burn surgeon at Loyola University Medical Center.

The trend of deep-frying the turkey has spiked a rise in cooking injuries. In the United States, more than 141 serious fires and hot-oil burns have been reported from turkey fryers over the last decade, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“I have actually cared for a patient who tried to deep fry the turkey indoors, which absolutely should not be done in any circumstances,” says Sanford. “And I cannot stress enough that the turkey must be moisture –free. A frozen turkey in hot oil is a recipe for tragedy.”

Serafino Alfe of suburban Chicago knows how dangerous it can be. He was deep-frying turkeys for an annual fundraiser dinner a few years ago and ended up at the Loyola Burn Center with third-degree burns—the worst—on his leg.

“I tripped and fell right into the deep fryer,” he said. “Thirty quarts of hot oil poured over my leg and I basically fried myself.”

Alfe said he has used a deep fryer for many years and is always careful. “We put the deep fryers on cardboard and I caught my shoe on the edge and just lost my balance,” said Alfe, who underwent surgery at Loyola on his injured leg the day before Thanksgiving in 2011. “We were using the older fryers that do not have a secure lid and the gallons of hot oil just splattered out everywhere.”

In addition to the pain of these types of injuries, an estimated $15 million in U.S. property damage is caused by deep-fryer fires.

“Thanksgiving for many means extra people in the kitchen, close proximity to fire and hot surfaces, added stress to cook many dishes on a tight schedule, the manipulation of a large, heavy turkey and the use of sharp knives,” said Sanford, who also is an associate professor at Stritch School of Medicine. “It is easy to get distracted and injuries can occur in a flash.” Sanford also warns against drinking alcohol while cooking. “Intoxication and cooking injuries to adults are terrible but too often children become the victims and that is truly tragic,” he said.

“Too many people spend Thanksgiving in the burn center or the emergency department when they should be home with their loved ones,” Sanford said.

Loyola’s Burn Center is one of the busiest in the Midwest, treating nearly more than 600 patients annually in the hospital and another 3,500 patients each year in its clinic.



Source: Loyola University Health System
========= Miami-Dade Fire Rescue demonstrates dangers of frying turkey this Thanksgiving





DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Fire crews in South Florida are urging those planning to deep fry their turkey this Thanksgiving to be cautious.

With Thanksgiving this Thursday, many have deep fried turkey on their holiday menu, and fire rescue officials warned if the turkey is not properly prepared, dipping it into the deep fryer can cause an explosion.

Firefighters see almost double the normal number of cooking fires on Thanksgiving. “We always see examples of what you should do,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighter Maggie Castro. “We’re here to show you what you shouldn’t do.”

During the cooking process, having mats around the kitchen could be a tripping hazard, as well. “You have a lot of friends and family over,” said Castro. “A lot of people who aren’t familiar with your household. Kids running around, they get excited. It just takes one split second for somebody to get hurt.”

Castro said keeping children away from hot stoves with a taped off area is one way to prevent accidents as well as keeping sharp objects from the edge of the counter. “The best way to keep pots and pans is with the handles pointed in,” said Castro.

Turkey fryers reportedly cause 1,000 injuries per year. Those injuries can amount to almost $15 million in property damages and medical bills. Experts suggest to test equipment and make certain it is working properly.

“He is wearing safety glasses,” said Castro as another fire rescue official demonstrated the proper use for turkey fryers. “He is wearing oven mits. Nice and easy, you wanna make sure you don’t drop it into the oil. Put it in slowly.”

Make sure pets are out of the area, as well, as they can cause someone to trip and fall.

Martha Bell, 70, has swindled an 89-year-old man out of $322,000 by falsely telling him he could invest in Medicare “bed licenses” that she allegedly claimed to still control.

Woman Convicted in $7M Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Scheme Charged Anew
By Joe Mandak | November 21, 2016



A woman who spent more than seven years in prison for a $7 million insurance fraud and the unrelated death of a patient at her now-defunct Pennsylvania nursing home is in trouble with the law again.

This time, the Allegheny County district attorney’s office says Martha Bell, 70, has swindled an 89-year-old man out of $322,000 by falsely telling him he could invest in Medicare “bed licenses” that she allegedly claimed to still control.

A criminal complaint Thursday alleges Bell spent the money at The Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino south of the city, on furniture, purchases from Victoria’s Secret, restitution payments from her previous court cases and tax bills.

The West Mifflin woman’s attorney, James Paulick, didn’t immediately return a call for comment after Bell surrendered. She’s free on bond pending a preliminary hearing Dec. 1.

District attorney’s Detective Jackelyn Weibel alleged Bell contacted the man, whom she knew through a mutual friend, shortly after she was released from prison in early 2013.

Bell allegedly told the man she needed money to place liens against five nursing homes and another property she once controlled before her incarceration. The man told investigators Bell’s claims of how much money she needed kept increasing and she eventually told him if he loaned her money, she’d make him half owner of $3 million worth of Medicare “bed licenses” she claimed to still control.

Investigators determined that Bell no longer controls the licenses – they’re defunct, along with her former nursing home – and that the investment story was a ruse. The man allegedly wrote 33 checks totaling $332,000 to Bell.

Bell spent more than two years in state prison for the October 2001 death of an 88-year-old woman who wandered outside the now-shuttered Ronald Reagan Atrium I Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Robinson Township. That woman, Mabel Taylor, died after she was locked outside for hours on a 40-degree night.

The death investigation led regulators to scrutinize the home and its parent company, the Alzheimer’s Disease Alliance of Western Pennsylvania, and led to federal Medicare and Medicaid fraud charges, which cost Bell an additional five more years in federal prison for collecting insurance money for services not rendered.

Bell was also convicted in 2008 in state court of stealing $51,500 in payroll money from the same nursing home, but her six- to 12-month jail sentence was imposed concurrently to the others so didn’t extend her incarceration.

At one point, while free on bond during the federal prosecution, Bell received permission from a judge to visit an Atlantic City casino for what her attorney called “rest and relaxation” over the objection of federal prosecutors.

=====



'I've been a political prisoner': Woman denies scamming elderly man
Updated: 5:36 PM EST Nov 16, 2016

At 70 years old, Martha Bell has been out of prison for three years, but police say it took her no time to commit her next crime, and they say it's connected to the case that put her away.


Nearly 10 years ago, Bell was convicted for her role in the death of 88-year-old Mabel Taylor. Taylor was a patient at the Atrium Nursing and Rehabilitation Center,in Robinson, when she wandered outside into a courtyard on a cold night and died. Police said Bell and others tried to cover it up, putting Taylor in bed and claiming she died there.

Bell went to prison and was released in 2013, but was on probation when police say she committed her latest crime. And according to court papers, the victim again is elderly.

"I have been innocent of all charges, including the charges that I was incarcerated for," Bell said, from her West Mifflin home. "I've been apolitical prisoner."

Bell said she had no idea police filed the recent charges, until Pittsburgh's Action News 4 came to her door.

According to court papers, investigators have been to her home to ask about claims that she conned an 89-year-old man out out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Police said that almost immediately after Bell's release from prison in the previous case, she convinced the elderly man to write her 33 checks, totaling $322,300. The complaint reads that Bell claimed she had bed licenses to sell,from her time at the Atrium, and if the elderly man gave her a loan, she would share half of the $3 million she'd make on the sale. Instead, court papers say she spent that money at casinos. Bell denies it all.

Bell faces four felonies, including theft by unlawful taking and deceptive or fraudulent business practices. She has not yet been taken into custody.

INSURANCE FRAUD: 50 individuals were criminally charged following investigations by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section.

Attorney General Beemer announces 50 charged with insurance fraud 11/21/2016



HARRISBURG — Attorney General Bruce R. Beemer today announced the filing of criminal charges against 50 individuals following investigations by the Office of Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section.

The charges are part of a November sweep conducted by the Insurance Fraud Section, which is the largest law enforcement entity in Pennsylvania with specific authority to investigate and prosecute cases of insurance fraud. The total potential fraud involved in these cases is more than $1.1 million.

"Insurance fraud results in billions of dollars of losses each year," Attorney General Beemer said. "This type of fraud also leads to higher insurance rates for everyone, which is why it is important for our office to be diligent in investigating and prosecuting these crimes."

The charges announced today involve some of the most common types of insurance fraud. Below is a list of the defendants, the charges filed against them and a description of their alleged criminal acts. The cases are all pending.

Eastern Region

David G. Miller III, 32, of the 6200 block of Mount Pleasant Road, Honey Brook, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. According to a criminal complaint filed in support of the charges, Miller's automobile was uninsured when he was involved in an accident on June 6. After the accident, he called Allstate Insurance Company to obtain coverage. Later, he provided a recorded statement to the insurance company in which he allegedly claimed the accident had occurred after he obtained the insurance policy.

Jennifer Carter, 30, of the 5300 block of Baynton St., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. An investigation confirmed that Carter in December 2015 upgraded her automobile insurance policy with Progressive Insurance Company. Roughly 12 hours after the upgrade, which added collision and comprehensive coverage, Carter filed a claim for damage to her sports utility vehicle that she alleged was the result of an accident. Further investigation confirmed that the damage to Carter's vehicle occurred before she called to upgrade her policy. Documents confirmed her vehicle was towed from the scene long before she claimed the accident had occurred, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

Shawn M. Robinson, 38, of the 2200 block of Lambert St., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility and a separate count of insurance fraud. Robinson in January 2013 called his automobile insurance carrier, Safe Auto Insurance, to add comprehensive and collision coverage to his policy. Roughly three days after adding the additional coverage, Robinson allegedly called his insurance company to report that an unknown vehicle had hit his parked car and caused damage. Further investigation confirmed that an individual had broken into Robinson's vehicle and damaged it the day before Robinson added the additional coverage, meaning Robinson provided a false statement to his insurance carrier, investigators allege.

Samuel Mansary, 34, of the 200 block of Beverly Blvd., Upper Darby, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. An investigation showed that Mansary was listed as the second driver of a vehicle that was rented in September 2015 from Hertz Rental Car Company. After the vehicle was involved in an accident in Abington Township, Mansary called Geico Insurance Company, claiming that he was the driver of the vehicle at the time the accident occurred. Geico later issued a payment of more than $10,000 for repairs to the rental car. It was later determined that Mansary was not the driver of the vehicle when the accident occurred, investigators alleged in a criminal complaint. It was Mansary's cousin, an unauthorized driver of the rental car, who was reportedly driving at the time of the accident.

Yvette G. Jones, 27, of the 4500 block of N. 18th St., Philadelphia, and Sheldon McCall-Jones, 27, of the 1900 block of N. 71st Ave., Philadelphia, are both charged with one count each of insurance fraud, attempted theft by deception and criminal conspiracy. An investigation confirmed that McCall-Jones in September 2015 was involved in an automobile accident with a Philadelphia police vehicle. During an initial recorded statement that he provided to his insurance carrier, Access Insurance Company, McCall-Jones stated that he was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident. However, during a second interview, he claimed that Yvette Jones, his aunt, was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Yvette Jones through her attorney sent a letter to the insurance company claiming she had suffered injuries in the accident. The investigation revealed that the false report was made in an effort to obtain money from the insurance company, investigators allege.

Sunita Suresh, 45, of the 700 block of W. Rolling Road, Springfield, is charged with three counts of worker's compensation fraud and one count each of theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. According to a criminal complaint filed in support of the charges, Suresh received more than $13,000 in worker's compensation benefits. She claimed that she suffered a concussion in August 2015 when a heater light and metal electric box fell on her head while she was working at Riddle Hospital in Media, Delaware County. The total disability worker's compensation benefits that Suresh received were based on her claim that she was unable to work at any job. However, the investigation revealed that Suresh worked full-time at Penn Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia during the time period when she was receiving disability benefits.

Theresa Bush, 56, of the 1600 block of W. York St., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility and a separate count of insurance fraud. Bush in July 2014 was involved in an automobile accident in Philadelphia at a time when her vehicle was uninsured. After the accident occurred, Bush allegedly contacted Safe Auto Insurance to reinstate the insurance policy on her vehicle. She later provided a false statement in which she misstated the time of the accident in an effort to receive insurance benefits for a purported injury that she suffered, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

Richard E. Williams Jr., 30, of the 900 block of Gilbert Road, Cheltenham, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility and a separate count of insurance fraud. Williams' car was damaged in April. He later changed his insurance deductible with Progressive Insurance from $1,000 to $500. After the change to his policy, Williams falsely reported that the damage to his vehicle occurred before the policy was changed, investigators allege.

Lachell D. Goines, 25, of the 7200 block of Glenthorne Road, Upper Darby, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft and criminal use of a communication facility. Goines' boyfriend was driving her vehicle alone when he was involved in an accident in November 2015. After the accident occurred, Goines falsely told her insurance carrier, Progressive Insurance, that she was driving her vehicle at the time the accident occurred, according to investigators. She is further accused of submitting a false claim for medical benefits and falsely stating that she was injured as the result of the accident, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

John Ackley, 41, of Laurel Springs, N.J., is charged with three counts of worker's compensation fraud and one count of theft by deception. Ackley claimed that he was injured in September 2010 when he was working for a Philadelphia company. As a result of his alleged total disability, Ackley received payments of more than $70,000 in lost wages benefits and more than $80,000 in medical payments from the Pennsylvania State Workers Insurance Fund. An investigation determined that Ackley was in fact working other jobs during the time he received the disability benefits, according to investigators. He is also accused of providing false documentation to the State Workers Insurance Fund in which he claimed that he was unemployed during the time he was receiving the benefits. Ackley is a fugitive at this time.

Charles Adams, 42, and Donna L. Smith, 59, both of the 900 block of Madison St., Coatesville, are both charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal conspiracy. Adams is also charged with an additional count of insurance fraud. According to investigators, Adams and Smith, his mother-in-law, both made misrepresentations to Safe Auto Insurance regarding the timing of an accident that occurred in December 2015. Smith was reportedly driving Adams' vehicle when she was involved in a multi-vehicle accident. Adams allegedly called Safe Auto Insurance after the accident occurred to obtain an insurance policy. Roughly three hours after obtaining the policy, Adams called to report the accident involving his mother-in-law, according to investigators. Both Adams and Smith allegedly provided statements to the insurance company that the accident occurred before the policy went into effect. However, an investigation that included interviews with the other drivers involved in the crash confirmed their statements were false.

Jano J. Thottumkal, 45, of the 2600 block of Virginia Drive, Jamison, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal use of a communication facility, unlawful use of a computer and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, in addition to a separate count of insurance fraud. According to investigators, Thottumkal made false representations to Progressive Insurance. Thottumkal reportedly obtained an insurance policy from Progressive in August 2015. Roughly two weeks after obtaining the policy, Thottumkal called the insurance company to report that he had been involved in an accident the day before his call. An investigation confirmed the accident actually occurred before Thottumkal obtained the insurance policy through Progressive, according to investigators.

Nathaniel Shoatz, 30, currently incarcerated at SCI — Camp Hill, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, forgery and criminal conspiracy. According to investigators, Shoatz claimed that he lost property valued at more than $35,000 during a burglary at the Philadelphia apartment where he said he was living. He allegedly submitted fraudulent receipts to Travelers Insurance Company to support this claim, saying furs and clothing were among the items stolen.

Luigi Rodriguez, 24, of the 1600 block of E. Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility, in addition to a separate count of insurance fraud. Rodriguez in January got into an automobile accident after his vehicle's insurance policy expired due to lack of payment. An investigation confirmed that Rodriguez called Progressive Insurance to reinstate the policy. At the time the policy was reinstated, Rodriguez said that he had not been involved in any recent accidents, according to investigators. The day after the policy was reinstated, Rodriguez reportedly called Progressive again to report that he had been in an accident. The investigation confirmed that the reported accident had actually occurred before Rodriguez called to reinstate his policy, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

Jarreau H. Brown, 29, of Wilmington, Del., is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. Brown's vehicle caught fire in November 2015 during a time when the vehicle was uninsured. After the fire, Brown reportedly obtained an insurance policy through Progressive Insurance. A day later, he allegedly submitted a false claim in which he made the misrepresentation that the fire had occurred before he obtained the insurance policy.

Lisa Somma, 40, of the 200 block of East Township Line Road, Havertown, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. According to a criminal complaint, Somma in September 2015 obtained an automobile insurance policy through Safe Auto Insurance. Four days after obtaining the policy, she filed a claim, stating she had been involved in a two-vehicle accident. An investigation confirmed the accident had in fact occurred before Somma obtained the insurance policy, according to investigators.

Raymond Barbosa, 50, of the 200 block of W. Lehigh St., Bethlehem, and Stacey A. McClure, 46, of the 1400 block of High St., Bethlehem, are both charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal conspiracy, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. Barbosa in March 2015 was involved in a single car accident when he did not have automobile insurance. According to investigators, Barbosa obtained an insurance policy after the accident. Four days after obtaining the policy with Progressive Insurance, investigators said Barbosa allegedly submitted a claim in which he falsely reported that the accident had occurred after the policy went into effect. Meanwhile, McClure allegedly provided a false statement to Progressive in which she corroborated Barbosa's false account of the accident. In both of their statements, Barbosa and McClure allegedly misled the insurance company when they said they did not know each other prior to the accident.

Maya Bennett, 29, of the 1000 block of Cambridge St., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. According to investigators, Bennett was part of a group that shoplifted items valued at more than $3,000 from stores in Montgomery County. As she fled in a vehicle from the scene where the shoplifting occurred, Bennett drove at a high rate of speed, striking two other cars and causing her own vehicle to flip over. Bennett, who pleaded guilty to various crimes in connection with the shoplifting and the accident she caused, pursued an automobile insurance claim through her policy with Erie Insurance Company. Investigators alleged that she made a series of false statements to the insurance company regarding the circumstances of the accident she was involved in. For example, she is accused of falsely denying that she was the driver of the car. She allegedly did this in an effort to obtain insurance benefits to which she was not entitled.

Antwanette C. Patterson, 31, of the 100 block of N. Bethlehem Pike, Ambler, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, in addition to a separate count of insurance fraud. According to investigators, Patterson in a claim to Progressive Specialty Insurance Company stated that her vehicle was damaged when it struck a deer. However, an investigation confirmed that the accident had actually occurred a day prior to the inception of her policy with Progressive, meaning her claim was allegedly fraudulent.

Kellie Jemison, 38, of the 1100 block of E. Lincoln Hwy., Coatesville, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, in addition to one separate count of insurance fraud. According to investigators, Jemison in February filed a claim through Safe Auto Insurance Company, her automobile insurance carrier, related to an accident that occurred the previous June. Further investigation confirmed that the accident occurred before Jemison's policy took effect. Jemison is accused of providing false information in the fraudulent claim that she made to her insurance company.

Anthony Reid, 33, of the 1900 block of Carpenter St., Philadelphia, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. According to investigators, Reid was involved in an automobile accident in April when his vehicle was uninsured. He is accused of providing a false statement to his prior insurance carrier, Safe Auto Insurance, regarding the date the accident occurred. It is alleged that he provided this information in an attempt to have the insurance company pay for damages caused by the accident.

Western Region

Virginia Baustert, 41, of the 100 block of Hilltop Drive, Apollo, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception and violation of the controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act. Investigators allege that Baustert gave false, incomplete and misleading information to medical providers in several western Pennsylvania counties, causing them to submit claims to Highmark Insurance for medical services that Baustert did not need. She is accused of presenting prescriptions to various pharmacies for Oxycodone and OxyContin, knowing that the prescriptions were not properly issued. The amount of the theft of medical services that were not necessary is approximately $160,000, according to investigators.

Caryn Ratti, 45, of the 200 block of Greenwood Drive, New Brighton, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. On Jan. 25, Ratti filed a claim with Motorist Insurance claiming that she was injured when she fell in Beaver Supermarket. She submitted medical bills totaling approximately $3,500 as part of her claim and requested that the payment be issued to her directly. Ratti is accused of staging the fall. Furthermore, Ratti’s medical bills for the hospital visit were paid for by Medicaid, according to investigators.

Christine Woodring, 25, of the 9900 block of Broadway St., North Huntingdon, and Richard H. Nelson, 35, of the 200 block of Laurel Ave., Pittsburgh, are charged with one count each of theft by deception, forgery, criminal conspiracy, insurance fraud and identity theft. Woodring and Nelson, acting as licensed insurance agents, allegedly created a scheme to profit from the submission of fraudulent insurance policy applications. Nelson is accused of giving Woodring names and other personal information from policies he had previously written. Woodring and Nelson are accused of changing the addresses and bank account information on those accounts and forging the signatures based on previous applications. The two allegedly opened bank accounts to pay the premiums. Between Jan. 20, 2014 and Jan. 5, 2015, Nelson and Woodring obtained more than $70,000 in fraudulent commissions related to more than 90 policies.

Christopher Bain, 22, of the 600 block of East 25th St., Erie, is charged with one count of insurance fraud. Bain claimed that the driver of an Erie Motor Transit Authority bus closed the bus doors on him, causing injury. Bain submitted an insurance claim in which he said he sought medical treatment for a kidney injury. According to investigators, video evidence and witness testimony confirmed that Bain was not struck by the door and was uninjured. Bain is currently a fugitive.

Karen Kletch, 33, of the first block of Seminole Ave., Washington, is charged with one count each of forgery, insurance fraud, identity theft, theft by deception and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Kletch, an insurance agent, is accused of using the personal information of her friends and family with altered addresses, bank information and forged signatures to inflate the number of new policy applications she opened. Between May 2013 and June 2013, Kletch received more than $5,900 in commissions and bonuses for 27 fraudulent policies, according to investigators.

Vanessa McWhorter, 47, of the 2000 block of Shadyside Drive, Hermitage, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. McWhorter in January purchased a new automobile insurance policy. Three days after obtaining the policy, she submitted a claim in which she said she struck a deer, causing damage to her vehicle. Further investigation confirmed the accident had actually occurred before McWhorter obtained the new policy, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

Todd Curtin, 40, of the 200 block of Adams Point Blvd., Mars, is charged with four counts of identity theft, three counts each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and one count each of theft of services and theft by deception. Curtin is accused of assuming the identity of his brother in order to receive medical treatment while his brother was out of the country. It is alleged that Curtin received more than $7,000 in medical benefits using his brother's identity.

Isaac Mayo, 35, of the 200 block of N. Saint Marys St., Saint Marys, is charged with one count each of worker's compensation fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. According to a criminal complaint, Mayo, a truck driver, attempted to defraud ACE-Indemnity Insurance Company of North America by submitting a claim for injuries that he suffered while working in May 2015. However, an investigation showed that no injury occurred at the time Mayo said it did.

Robert Welliver, 47, of the 1600 block of Relative Drive, Verona, is charged with two counts of worker’s compensation fraud and one count of theft by deception. According to a criminal complaint, Welliver received total disability benefits after suffering an injury that he alleged occurred while he was working for a construction company. An investigation revealed that Welliver was working for another construction and remodeling company during the time he was receiving the disability benefits. The fraud resulted in him being paid more than $31,000 for benefits to which he was not entitled.

Anne M. Leonard, 46, of the 100 block of Bell Ave., Altoona, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Leonard is accused of reporting to her insurance company that a tractor that she owned was stolen in July 2015. An investigation revealed that the tractor that was reported stolen was actually in her brother’s possession. A tractor that was in fact stolen from Leonard's possession was valued at approximately $500 — not the $2,899 figure that Leonard falsely reported to her insurance company, according to investigators.

Faye Jenkins, 62, of the 100 block of Friendsville Road, Markleysburg, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Jenkins in December 2015 obtained a new automobile insurance policy. She later filed a claim related to an accident that she said occurred on the same day that she obtained her new policy. An investigation determined that the accident actually occurred prior to Jenkins obtaining the policy, investigators stated in a criminal complaint.

Jenna Shelbon, 32, of the 4700 block of Steinburg Road, West Springfield, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Shelbon was involved in an automobile accident in January at a time prior to her obtaining an insurance policy for her vehicle through The General Insurance. She is accused of providing false information to authorities in which she claimed the accident occurred after she obtained the policy.

Kelly Rogala, 32, of the 800 block of Rumsey Ave., Erie, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and theft by deception. Between January 2015 and August 2015, Rogala allegedly submitted numerous insurance claims for medical treatments that she alleged she and her son received. The claims resulted in the payment of more than $17,000. However, an investigation determined that the treatments were never provided, investigators alleged in a criminal complaint.

Dianne Donatelli, 54, of the 500 block of Cedarwood Drive, Pittsburgh, is charged with three counts of theft by deception, two counts of insurance fraud and one count of unlawful use of a computer. Donatelli, who was employed by a chiropractic office, is accused of submitting multiple bills to Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance for patients whose bills had already been paid by another insurance company. She is also accused of submitting bills to the insurance company for services that were never rendered. Highmark paid more than $389,000 as a result of the alleged fraud.

Nancy Sanchez, 31, and Craig Dowling, 34, both of the 1000 block of Buchannon Road, Pittsburgh, are both charged with two counts each of insurance fraud and one count of criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Sanchez in November 2015 obtained an automobile policy for her vehicle. The following day, she allegedly filed an online insurance claim that indicated she was operating her own vehicle when she was involved in an accident. During the claims process, Dowling provided a statement corroborating Sanchez’s claim. However, an investigation revealed that the accident actually involved Dowling's work vehicle, which was uninsured.

Central Region

Martina Roberts, 43, of Gaithersburg, Md., is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Roberts is accused of providing false information to Geico Insurance Company in which she misrepresented the date that a motor vehicle accident occurred. The attempted fraud involved more than $15,000, according to investigators.

Tanya Fegan, 51, of the 700 block of Pikestown Road, Harrisburg, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and theft by deception. Fegan, a former insurance agent, is accused of changing her personal automobile insurance policy through Travelers Insurance after an accident occurred. This was allegedly done in an effort to retroactively lower her deductible and add other coverage that benefited her following the accident.

Joel Frey, 37, of the 500 block of Pennsy Road, New Providence, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Frey made a report to his homeowner's insurance carrier regarding an accidental fire in which a pole barn, shed and the contents of both structures were allegedly destroyed. An investigation showed that some lumber that was submitted as part of Frey’s complaint was for his business that he ran out of his home and was not covered under his homeowner’s policy. It is alleged that Frey submitted false information in an attempt to obtain claim proceeds to which he was not entitled.

Louise Robinson, 35, of the 2400 block of Noble St., West Lawn, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Robinson in August 2014 purchased an automobile insurance policy. Hours after obtaining the policy, Robinson filed a claim stating that her vehicle was vandalized. An investigation showed that Robinson’s vehicle was actually vandalized prior to Robinson obtaining the policy.

Justin Gorham, 21, of the 2400 block of North 5th St., Harrisburg, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Gorham in September 2015 obtained a new automobile insurance policy. Hours after obtaining the policy, Gorham filed a claim stating he damaged his vehicle when he hit his neighbor’s fence and his home. An investigation revealed that the accident actually occurred prior to Gorham purchasing the policy.

Ian Markey, unknown age and address, is charged with two counts of insurance fraud and one count of criminal attempt to commit theft by deception. Markey in August 2014 purchased an automobile insurance policy. Days after obtaining the policy, Markey filed a claim in which he said his vehicle was damaged when he struck three to four raccoons on his way to work. An investigation revealed that the accident occurred prior to Markey obtaining the policy. Markey is currently a fugitive.

Andrew Schneller, 48, of the 200 block of W. Race St., Fleetwood, is charged with one count each of insurance fraud, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and forgery. Schneller is accused of submitting altered or forged hotel receipts for hotel room stays following a pipe bursting in his home. Receipts were provided to Schneller's insurance company showing stays in various hotels in the Berks County area. An investigation revealed that multiple receipts had been forged. In fact, some of the receipts were for a hotel that did not exist, according to investigators.

Waleska Olivero, 41, of the 100 block of W. Jackson St., York, and Kristi McElderry, 49, of the 100 block of N. Market St., Mount Joy, are both charged with two counts of insurance fraud and one count each of criminal attempt to commit theft by deception and criminal conspiracy to commit theft by deception. Olivero and McElderry are accused of misrepresenting the time and date of an automobile accident in an attempt to obtain proceeds they were not entitled to. McElderry filed an insurance claim that stated she was involved in an accident with Olivero on her way to work. Olivero confirmed the details of this claim. According to investigators, an investigation revealed the accident had actually taken place prior to McElderry obtaining the automobile policy.

# # #

In 1990, the state legislature made insurance fraud a serious crime in Pennsylvania, punishable by heavy fines and stiff prison sentences.

In 1994, legislation was enacted in Pennsylvania establishing the Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) and a Fraud Trust Fund. All insurance companies authorized to transact business in Pennsylvania pay an annual assessment into the fund. The funds provide financial support to the Office of Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section and other law enforcement agencies to support insurance fraud investigations and prosecutions.

Private citizens can report allegations of insurance fraud using an online form or by calling the IFPA's hotline at 1-888-565-IFPA (4372).

Consumers with a complaint involving an insurance company that does not involve fraud should contact the Pennsylvania Insurance Department at 1-877-881-6388 or the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.



(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

# # #



Andrew Schneller
Anne Leonard
Anthony Reid
Caryn Ratti
Charles Adams
Christine Woodring
David G. Miller III
Dianne Donatelli
Donna Smith
Faye Jenkins
Isaac Mayo
Jano J. Thottumkal
Jarreau Brown
Jenna Shelbon
Jennifer Carter
Joel Frey
Justin Gorham
Karen Kletch
Kelly Rogala
Kristi McElderry
Lachell Goines
Lisa Somma
Louise Robinson
Luigi Rodriguez
Samuel Mansary
Martina Roberts
Nathaniel Shoatz
Richard Nelson
Robert Welliver
Shawn Robinson
Sheldon McCall-Jones
Sunita Suresh
Tanya Fegan
Theresa Bush
Todd Curtain
Vanessa McWhorter
Virginia Baustert
Yvette Jones
Waleska Olivero