State Police report more than 1,000 crashes, 450 DUIs over Christmas holiday

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania State Police released traffic enforcement and crash statistics for the 2025 Christmas holiday travel period on Wednesday.

From December 24 to 28, 2025, state police troopers investigated 1,007 vehicle crashes, six of which resulted in fatalities. Impaired driving was identified as a factor in 53 crashes.

During the five-day holiday weekend, troopers arrested 207 individuals for driving under the influence and issued the following citations:

• 1,502 for speeding.

• 155 for failing to wear a seat belt.

• 10 for not securing children in safety seats.

When comparing statistics from 2025 with those from 2024:

• In 2025 (5 days), there were 1,007 total crashes, four fatal crashes, 6 people killed, 137 injury-related crashes, 53 DUI-related crashes and no DUI-related fatal crashes.

• In 2024 (3 days), there were 598 total crashes, no fatal crashes, 1 people killed, 92 injury-related crashes, 27 DUI-related crashes and no DUI-related fatal crashes.

When comparing Christmas weekend enforcement data from 2025 to 2024:

• In 2025 (5 days), there were 207 DUI arrests, 1,502 speeding citations, 10 child seat citations, 155 seat belt citations and 4,202 other citations.

• In 2024 (3 days), there were 128 DUI arrests, 805 speeding citations, 13 child seat citations, 90 seat belt citations and 3,009 other citations.

These statistics cover only those incidents investigated by the state police and do not include incidents to which other law enforcement agencies responded.

Lewistown woman arrested

for active warrant, lodged in jail

LEWISTOWN – Mifflin County Regional Police Department officers were on patrol when they observed Chelsea Bratton, 30, of Lewistown, on Valley View Avenue in Derry Township at 3:18 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2025, according to a release issued on Dec. 24, 2025. Bratton had active warrants, the report said, and the officer observed Bratton walking into a residence. Officers eventually obtained a search warrant and found her hiding in a basement crawl space, the report said. Bratton was taken into custody and was transported to the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in Lewistown, the report said.

Lewistown man arrested for active

warrant after getting ‘lost’ in woods

LEWISTOWN – A 44-year-old Lewistown man, who Mifflin County Regional Police Department officers described as being “lost” in the woods along Back Maitland Road in Lewistown, was arrested for an outstanding warrant and lodged in the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in Lewistown, according to a release issued on Dec. 24, 2025. At 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 10, regional police officers along with other first responders were dispatched to locate Darius Black, the report said, and determined that he had a warrant. Black was transported to Geisinger Lewistown Hospital for an evaluation then jail, the report said.

Burnham man arrested

for two active warrants, jailed

BURNHAM – Kail Snyder, 21, of Burnham, was arrested by Mifflin County Regional Police Department officers at 4:44 p.m. on Dec. 8 at a residence on North Logan Boulevard in Burnham for two active warrants, according to a release issued on Dec. 24, 2025. He was taken into custody and transported to the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in Lewistown.

McClure woman cited

for theft at retail store

BURNHAM – A 21-year-old McClure woman was cited for retail theft at 3:25 p.m. on Dec. 8 after alleged trying to steal items from the Hobby Lobby at the Mifflin County Commons in Burnham, according to a release issued on Dec. 24, 2025. Store employees advised officers that Aiyana Reed had been detained and, after advising Reed of her Miranda Rights, she admitted to concealing items from Hobby Lobby in her bag with no intentions to pay for them, the report said.

Police: Vehicle returned to owner,

warrant issued for Lewistown man

LEWISTOWN – Mifflin County Regional Police Department officers were dispatched to Harvard Street, Derry Township, for a stolen vehicle at 9:08 a.m. on Dec. 7, according to a release issued on Dec. 24, 2025. Officers made contact with the vehicle owner and determined that Charles Pennebaker, 56, of Lewistown, had stolen a Mini Cooper two days prior, the report said, and the vehicle was entered into the National Criminal Information Center as stolen. Later that same day, an officer observed a vehicle traveling on Route 655 that matched the description of the stolen Mini Cooper, the report said, and they eventually stopped the Mini Cooper along Route 322 Eastbound. Officers determined that the operator of the Mini Cooper was not Pennebaker and obtained a statement from the operator who was to be a friend of Pennebaker, the report said. The driver advised police he had arrived home the night prior, finding Mini Cooper in his driveway along with a message from Pennebaker asking him to return it to Harvard Street for him, the report said, and he was unaware that the Mini Cooper was stolen. The stolen Mini Cooper was returned to its owner undamaged, the report said, and an arrest warrant was obtained for Charles Pennebaker.