Fugitive arrested

An Oil City man was arrested Tuesday when police learned he was wanted in Elk County on more than 650 counts of forgery and other charges.

Franklin state police said John Alfred Gallagher Jr., 27, provided troopers with his brother's name during a June 28 traffic stop. Police said Gallagher was aware at that time that he had a warrant out for his arrest from Elk County on 655 counts of forgery, theft, theft by deception, access device fraud and identity theft.

Gallagher's real identity was learned following an investigation by Oil City police, and state troopers and Oil City officers arrested Gallagher at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday in a storage area beneath a residence in the 600 block of West Front Street in Oil City, state police said.

Police said Gallagher had drug paraphernalia in his possession when he was arrested Tuesday.

He was arraigned before district judge Douglas Dinberg on charges of flight to avoid apprehension, false identification to law enforcement officers and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Venango County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail and was also detained on the Elk County felony warrant.

Five injured in crash

Five people were hurt in a one-vehicle accident at about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday on Route 8 in Cherrytree Township north of Sopher Road.

Franklin state police said Sarah L. Stearns, 74, of Titusville, was affected by a "physical condition" as she was traveling south on Route 8. Police said Stearns' condition caused her vehicle to travel off the roadway, then she overcompensated and the vehicle crossed the north lane of traffic.

Stearns' vehicle then struck a ditch and tree before rolling over two times, police said. The vehicle came to rest in the yard at 4214 Route 8.

Stearns received what were described by police as major injuries. One passenger, Sarah Rankin, 28, of Grand Valley, had moderate injuries, and three children, ages 11, 8 and 3, had minor injuries. Their names were not released by police.

The news release did not indicate where the injured people were taken for treatment.

Driver hurt in accident

An Oil City woman received minor injuries in a one-vehicle crash at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday on Route 8 in Cornplanter Township near Kane Run Road.

Franklin state police said Nancy Mansfield, 55, of Oil City, was traveling north on Route 8 at a high rate of speed when she lost control of her vehicle. Mansfield's Jeep Wrangler traveled off the roadway, struck a ditch and overturned onto the driver's side, police said.

The news release did not indicate where Mansfield was taken for treatment.

Vehicle thefts

Franklin state police are investigating two vehicle thefts.

An ATV belonging to a Kennerdell man was taken either Saturday or Sunday at Ben Hal Mining on Georgetown Road in Clinton Township, and a Yamaha 350 Raptor belonging to a Delmont man was taken either July 1 or 2 from a residence along Allegheny Avenue in Cranberry Township.

Police are asking anyone with information about either of these thefts to contact them.