Woman accused of stealing two vehicles

Amanda Christman, Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 17—A woman who stole two vehicles, crashing one of them on Thursday morning, said she needed "a thrill," court papers say.

Nicole M. Jones, 29, with a last known address in Mountain Top, faces theft and receiving stolen property by Sugarloaf Twp. police. Her bail was set at $25,000 Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Daniel O'Donnell, Butler Twp.

According to police and court papers:

A vehicle was reported stolen from Turkey Hill, 7 Airport Road, at 7:18 a.m. after a man parked it at a gas pump, leaving his keys inside, while he went inside the store.

But, while Sugarloaf Twp. police were responding, Luzerne County 911 informed them state police at Hazleton had the van stopped on Airport Road after Jones hit a pole just west of Walmart in Hazle Twp.

Troopers said Jones was traveling east on Airport Road in a Ford Econoline when she drove off the left side for unknown reasons, hitting a metal post on Alexander Drive at 7:21 a.m. She wasn't hurt but ran from the crash site, heading west on Airport Road. Jones was apprehended a short time later and faces a traffic citation for the crash.

Jones initially got to Turkey Hill in a silver Subaru Impreza, which was reported stolen in Kingston. The keys to that car were found on the Airport Beltway near the crash site involving the van. She told police she stole the Subaru the previous day after leaving a hospital and also admitted to stealing the van because she "needed a thrill in her life."

But, that wasn't the only trouble Jones found herself in that day.

Butler Twp. police charged her with loitering and prowling at night after a man living at 31 Laurel Lane reported a woman lurking outside his home with a hammer at 4:30 a.m. Thursday. Video surveillance showed the woman walking up the driveway wearing only socks with a shaved head and wearing a bandana. The man told police she opened his glass storm door, walked over to his pickup truck and took a peek inside before ambling off the property, hammer in hand.

Her bail in the Butler Twp. case was set at an additional $5,000 by O'Donnell.

Contact the writer: achristman@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3584