BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — A Vermont man is lodged in the Jefferson County Jail after state police say he was under the influence of controlled substances and refused to leave a travel stop in Pine Creek Township on May 1.
According to a criminal complaint, state police were dispatched to Love’s Travel Stop for a report of a suspicious person. Trooper David M. Pisano reported in the affidavit that Jarrod Dale Howell, 34, of Rutland, Vermont, had been asked to leave the property by the store manager.
Howell was observed standing in front of the main entrance smoking a cigarette, while rocking back and forth and talking to himself, the complaint said. Howell refused to leave because he was looking for his girlfriend, police said.
According to the affidavit, Howell appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and later admitted to using crystal meth. The complaint stated he created a hazardous or physically offensive condition by refusing to leave the business while under the influence.
Punxsutawney-based State Police filed the following charges against Howell on May 4, court records show:
- Disorderly Conduct Hazardous/Physical Offense, Misdemeanor
- Defiant Trespass Actual Communication To, Summary
- Public Drunkenness and Similar Misconduct, Summary
Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak set bail at $30,000 during Howell’s arraignment on May 2, the court docket indicates. He was committed to the Jefferson County Jail after failing to post bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 12 before Judge Bazylak, according to court records.
