Luzerne County

A road was closed at West 8th Street in West Wyoming after a fire broke out Wednesday afternoon.

HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Bucks County man has been found guilty, but mentally ill, of third-degree murder in Luzerne County.

Joseph Sarmiento was charged back in June of 2021 after police said they found 38-year-old Helena Johnson dead in a Hazle Township motel room.

Sheriff’s Department in Wilkes-Barre introduces Crisis Intervention Team

Police say Johnson was hit, strangled, and found in the bathtub.

Investigators found the only person to enter and exit that room was Sarmiento.

WEST WYOMING, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A man died earlier Wednesday evening after a fire broke out in a home in NEPA, the fire that was too hot for people in the house to try to save his life.

The call went out on Wednesday evening. Officials say they were able to get the fire under control relatively quickly but weren't able to save the man who died.

The fire tore through the small apartment behind the garage of a home on the 500 block of West 8th Street in West Wyoming. Crews from multiple departments responded.

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the lack of mental health crisis services across the U.S. has resulted in law enforcement officers serving as first responders to most crises.

One local sheriff's department is expanding efforts to help better serve those struggling.

The Luzerne County Sheriff's Department now has more than 10 deputies certified in what's called a "Crisis Intervention Team" (CIT) Program.

Despite being born completely blind, Gage Long excels in school with the help of special programming, which is now in jeopardy with the federal funding freeze.

NANTICOKE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — There are calls for action Wednesday to make a Luzerne County intersection safer. This after two deadly crashes in the same area in the past year. The most recent fatal crash took place Monday night.

Near the intersection of West Main Street and Alden Road, a memorial has been set up for the elderly woman who was killed there Monday night.

Linasheri Donofrio now faces third-degree murder charges in the death of her disabled son.

A wildlife sighting in the Back Mountain has prompted some curiosity online as the creature in question isn't seen as often as other animals we may see every day.

John Gittens faces indecent exposure, open lewdness, and other charges in Luzerne County.

For St. Patrick's Day parade lovers, it's almost time to get decked out in green! Check here for dates and times of the St. Patrick's Day parades in our area.