Beaver Falls Man Charged After Showing Up Drunk to AA Meeting

A Beaver Falls man is facing charges after police said he stole a trumpet then showed up drunk at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Richard W. Heffner, 32, of Beaver Falls, is charged with theft, receiving stolen property, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

were called shortly after 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3 to , 201 Broad St., for a report of two men, possibly intoxicated, in the school parking lot, police reported.

When police arrived, a janitor at the school told officers that two men came into a side door at the school and knocked on the door, police said.

The janitor asked what the two wanted and the men asked him where the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting was, he said. The janitor told the men the meeting was not at St. James so they left, police said.

A short time later, police said the janitor saw the men walking away from the school and one of them was carrying a trumpet.

Police said the janitor saw an empty trumpet case laying open on the floor near the door where the men had come in.

About that time, police received another call from on Grant Street for a disturbance involving two men matching the same description. One of the men reportedly had a trumpet, police said.

Police apprehended Richard Heffner in the church parking lot. A witness told police Heffner came into the AA meeting at the church, placed the trumpet on a piano and started becoming disruptive.

Police said Heffner was highly intoxicated and was placed under arrest.

The other man who was with Heffner left the area before police arrived. Witnesses told police the second man was not causing problems and was trying to control Heffner. Witnesses said the second man apologized to the people at the AA meeting for Heffner’s behavior, police said.

Heffner was taken to the lockup at the Coraopolis Police Department. He was arraigned before District Judge and released on $5,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Sewickley Police also responded to the following recent incidents. Each incident reflects police records and is not an indication of guilt.

• Police were investigating separate reports of a suspicious man peering in the windows at an exercise class. Police spoke to a Pilates class instructor on Feb. 1 after she called to report seeing a Hispanic man about 5-foot-7, crouched and looking in the window at the Nickelodeon Mall between Chestnut Street and Cherry Way around 2:40 p.m. Jan. 31. Police interviewed a yoga instructor who gave a similar account, that she saw a man fitting the same description about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. The man was described as medium build with sparse facial hair wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. A yoga class participant also gave police the same account of a strange man peering in the window, possibly casing the area to steal from cars. The women were told to call police if the man is seen again. 

• Someone took an iPod, worth $280, from a table at Crazy Mocha about 4 p.m. Feb. 1, police reported. Police said a patron reported he went outside to make a phone call and returned to find his iPod missing. Police said none of the other patrons saw anyone take the device.   

• Police were dispatched shortly after 6 p.m. Feb. 3 to Rite Aid Pharmacy, 515 Beaver St., for a report of an intoxicated man who asked someone to buy him a bottle of alcohol, borough police reported. Police checked the area for the man, but couldn’t find him, police reported.

• Police were dispatched shortly before 11 p.m. Feb. 1 to the intersection of Route 65 and Walnut Street for a report that the traffic lights were malfunctioning. Police attempted to reset the lights but were unsuccessful. County dispatched was notified to have Traffic Control come fix the problem. Police checked the lights later in the shift and the lights were working. Police also responded to the traffic lights at the Sewickley Bridge about 9:30 a.m. Feb. 2 to reset the lights because they were flashing.

• Police responded to a home in the 900 block of Crescent Avenue for a report of a 1-year-old with a cut on his arm. The boy’s grandmother told police a glass was broken earlier and she believed the boy was starting to walk and must have fallen or crawled on the glass. Medics felt the boy was in need of stitches so he was transported to Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital, police said.

• Police were dispatched at 7:50 p.m. Feb. 2 to the back of St. Andrew’s United Presbyterian Church on Church Way to assist medics with a woman who had fallen on ice, police reported.

• Police were called to the area of Walnut Street and St. James Church at 1:40 p.m. Feb. 1 for a report of a woman yelling for help and for someone to call the police. A school bus driver heard the woman’s pleas for help and called 911. Officers found the woman in the 100 block of Walnut. Police said she was elderly and confused that her grandchildren had not arrived from school. Police spoke with the woman’s son, who said his mother was confused.

• Police were dispatched Feb. 9 to the 1500 block of Beaver Road in Osborne for a reoort if someone canvassing a property. The owner told police he discovered footprints in the snow that went completely around the property. Police looked at the footprints, which appeared to be a small person. None of the prints led directly to any windows or doors, police said.

• Police were called to the 300 block of Hill Street at 4:28 a.m. Feb. 9 after a man knocked on a resident’s door and asked for directions to a bus stop. Police were headed to the home when they saw a man matching the description. Thomas Mortimer of Pittsburgh told police he was frightened in an unfamiliar neighborhood and just wanted to catch the bus back to his house. Police said Mortimer was wearing a wrist-band from Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital. Officers pointed him to the nearest bus stop and advised him not to knock on anyone’s doors, police said.

• Police reported responding at 10:38 p.m. Feb. 6 to a two-car collision at the Route 65 and Beaver Street.  Police said William McCracken, no age or address given, was standing outside his vehicle, cut and bleeding when police arrived. McCracken told police he was driving his pickup south on Route 65 when he attempted to turn left up Redgate Road and collided head-on with a Honda driven by Kevin Kenny, no age or address given. McCracken’s vehicle then struck a utility pole, police said.  Kenny told police McCracken's pickup turned in front of him and he was unable to avoid the collision, police said. Both vehicles were severely damaged and towed. It was unclear whether Kenny suffered injuries. Police said McCracken was taken to Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital due to his injuries. His blood was also drawn for DUI testing, police said.