web1_TTL040919Cow3.jpg

Udderly delightful: Centenarian marks birthday by milking cow

web1_WBA-board-4-9-19-.jpg

Wilkes-Barre Area clears last hurdle to award school contracts

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The trial of a woman accused of filing false reports against state troopers who she said raped her began on Tuesday, punctuated by combat between the defense attorney and prosecution witnesses.</p><p>Christine Cromer, 38, is on trial this week before Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough on charges of false reports and unsworn falsification after she allegedly falsely accused two separate state troopers of raping her at the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino, where she worked as a waitress.</p><p>The Plains Township woman, along with her husband, Donald Cromer, has frequently been in the headlines due to numerous charges the couple faced. Both Cromers pleaded guilty in January to charges of selling meth. </p><p>Donald Cromer pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of false imprisonment, admitting he handcuffed Christine Cromer to a radiator during an argument at their home.</p><p>During the first day of Christine Cromer&#8217;s trial on Tuesday, Luzerne County Detective Charles Balogh testified about the issues with her story that initially made investigators believe that her story wasn&#8217;t true.</p><p>Balogh said under direct examination by Assistant District Attorney Angela Sperrazza that Cromer initially made a report about the alleged rape in early 2017, saying it occurred in late 2016.</p><p>Cromer told investigators she was raped in a state police cruiser by Trooper Robert Covington, who was assigned to duty at the casino. She told investigators she and Covington had previously had a romantic relationship, but he raped her after she tried to break it off.</p><p>Balogh said Cromer described being raped on a bench-style front seat of the car, but when Balogh investigated the cruiser in question, he found it had bucket seats, with a large police radio in between the driver and passenger seat.</p><p>&#8220;If you&#8217;re laying on that, that&#8217;s hurting,&#8221; Balogh said. He said Cromer claimed the inside of the car must have been changed, but records show the radio came pre-installed in the vehicle.</p><p>Later, when Cromer and Balogh went to the state police barracks in Wyoming, Balogh said Cromer identified a second officer &#8212; Sgt. Daniel Jones &#8212; as her rapist when she saw him, despite never making this claim before.</p><p>&#8220;I was floored,&#8221; Balogh said.</p><p>Balogh suggested this wasn&#8217;t just a case of mistaken identity, as Jones and Covington look nothing alike. Instead, he suggested it was her story falling apart.</p><p>While cross-examining Balogh, defense attorney Joseph Sklarosky Sr. attempted to poke holes in Balogh&#8217;s version of events.</p><p>&#8220;Are you saying because a radio is present here, that means a rape couldn&#8217;t have occurred?&#8221; Sklarosky asked, which Balogh adamantly denied.</p><p>Sklarosky and Balogh battled over why Balogh failed to do any DNA testing of the vehicle.</p><p>&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t the seat that was described,&#8221; Balogh said, further saying the radio was a &#8220;substantial thing to miss.&#8221;</p><p>Prosecutors rested their case on Tuesday, leaving the defense to start their case Wednesday morning.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Cromer.fromFox56CMYK.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">C. Cromer </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Cromer.fromFox56CMYK.jpg</photo0><caption0>C. Cromer </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Trial begins for woman accused of making false rape claims against troopers