Two local men face charges in separate incidents | News, Sports, Jobs

Jersey Shore man charged with child endangerment and other charges

A Jersey Shore man is facing child endangerment and reckless endangerment charges after he allegedly assaulted his child and threatened violence against the child’s mother on Oct. 27, Lycoming County Police said.

After putting her 19-month-old child down for a nap, the alleged victim asked Seth R. Reese, 23, of 690 South Broad St., Jersey Shore, if he would like to get up and watch the child while running to the grocery store, to which he agreed.

However, video footage from the child’s baby monitor that the alleged victim watched while at the store allegedly showed Reese yelling at the child. “close”swear” above,” an affidavit said:

According to court documents, Reese allegedly picked up the child by his armpits and threw him, causing the child’s head to hit his crib.

When the alleged victim arrived home, he found the child crying and screaming in the hallway, at which point he told Reese to never touch the child again.

Authorities said Reese then shook his fist at the child while holding her in his arms and stopped before striking her.

The alleged victim told authorities that after placing the teen back in her crib, Reese attacked her and only stopped when he punched her.

Reese, who was caught by the police, said: “She picked up her son and kind of pushed him into the cradle.” court documents said.

Reese, who was arraigned on additional harassment charges by District Judge Denise Dieter, waived his preliminary hearing and was released on $35,000 bail.

City man accused of arson said “I don’t want to make the news” after his hut caught fire

Matthew Jon Wagner, 34, of 631 Dunkleberger Road, was hit twice in arson after Lycoming Parish Police say he failed to report a fire at his cabin at 397 Bougainville Road.

The affidavit said Wagner told authorities he burned brush along the river on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and decided to rip off the roof of the property and burn it.

He stated that he had a garden hose with him and sprayed the ground around the fire in case the fire got out of control.

He allegedly told firefighters that he tried to put it out using the garden hose when he noticed smoke coming from the corner of the cabin.

“I almost died because of the smoke” he told the police and added: “to rupture a lung” an affidavit said:

According to court documents, Wagner tried to put out the fire until about 6 p.m., without reporting it.

He told authorities that he returned to the property at 8 p.m. that night and twice the next day to run water into the cabin and ensure the fire was extinguished, according to an affidavit.

Wagner allegedly told authorities that he did not visit the property on Friday and only became aware of the fire after a neighbor tipped him off.

When asked why he didn’t report the fire, he allegedly said he didn’t think it was a big deal and didn’t want to get in trouble.

“All I thought about was that I didn’t want to make the news.” he said, according to court documents.

Wagner was arraigned on the charges by District Judge Denise Dieter.

He did not attend the preliminary hearing and a court order was subsequently issued for his arrest.