IRISH VALLEY - A gunshot victim was discovered after crashing a car along Irish Valley Road early Saturday, prompting a day-long investigation into what police say was an attempted homicide.
Salicia Yost, 20, of Milton, was alone and reportedly incoherent inside a red Chevy Sonic when emergency personnel responded at about 5:30 a.m.
A search warrant was issued at 11 a.m. for Yost's vehicle and cell phone, and one male was detained in the Mount Carmel area about 4:45 p.m.
It was unclear late Saturday if an arrest had been made.
A state police public information officer confirmed the incident was a shooting and later issued a brief press release with the victim's name. However, Trooper Matthew Burrows wouldn't offer any details on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The crash occurred in Shamokin Township, about 100 yards west of the tunnel on Irish Valley Road (Route 4026), just off Route 61 near Weigh Scales.
Yost was treated on scene and Burrows confirmed she was transported to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Neither a nursing supervisor nor a Geisinger spokesman would release any information on Yost's condition Saturday night.
Return to scene
Yost, whose age is listed as 21 on a court document for a prior traffic citation, was driving on Irish Valley Road toward Route 61 when she apparently lost control and crashed into a snow mound.
The vehicle did not appear to have sustained major damage.
The accident scene was cleared, but fire police were called out about 12:40 p.m. as police ordered Irish Valley Road blocked off from Route 61 to Badman Hill Road, a distance of about one mile. It's believe the gunshot injuries weren't discovered until sometime after she was hospitalized, prompting the return of authorities to the crash scene.
Work at the scene reportedly involved the use of metal detectors.
By 3 p.m., the scene was again cleared.
Shift to Mount Carmel
By Saturday afternoon the investigation was focused at least in part in the Mount Carmel area.
The male was detained about 4:45 p.m. at a South Poplar Street residence. Police had also been searching in an area cemetery, but for what is unclear.
Cruisers from state police at Stonington and Mount Carmel Township remained parked outside the borough station Saturday night, and Police Chief Todd Owens confirmed his department was assisting state police in the probe. He declined comment on all other questions, referring them to state police.
An official from Northumberland County Children and Youth was also at the station.
Warrants issued
Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones confirmed Saturday evening that he had issued the two search warrants to state police about 11 a.m.
Jones was aware of police activity in the borough Saturday night and had heard there was some focus in the area of Sixth and Poplar, but said he was "totally unaware" when told it may be have been connected to the crash.
Jones said he is the on-call weekend magistrate for Northumberland County, and as such he would be contacted if there was an arrest or if another search warrant was needed.
He said the off-hour warrants he did issue were not yet recorded at his office and that he couldn't provide further details other than they were for the car and phone.
Trooper Kevin Kearney of state police at Stonington is the investigating officer. Ralpho Township police had originally responded to the crash, along with Elysburg and Ralpho Township firefighters and emergency squad, Elysburg ambulance and Stonington firefighters.