New Kensington woman charged using sister's license as ID

A New Kensington woman was charged with felony identity theft after, police say, she gave them her sister’s name when she was approached by an officer who saw her sitting in a vehicle with a marijuana pipe.

Shanna Rachelle Heymers, 41, of Virginia Drive also faces a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with the Dec. 4 incident.

Heymers, who is being detained in the Armstrong County Jail on outstanding warrants for drug charges issued in Allegheny and Armstrong counties, faces a preliminary hearing on the identity theft and possession charges before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on Jan. 27.

Police said Heymers committed identify theft while they were investigating a report of a male riding a dirt bike recklessly along Virginia Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. on Dec. 4, according to a criminal complaint.

Responding Officer Salvador Zepeda said he was unable to locate the dirt bike rider on the road but had an address provided by the person who called 911 for where the suspect lived, according to the complaint.

The officer said he saw a woman sitting in the rear seat of a Chevy Malibu in the driveway holding what appeared to be a marijuana pipe in her hand.

Zepeda confiscated the pipe, which contained marijuana residue, after the woman got out of the car and was told she would receive a summons for possession of drug paraphernalia, the complaint said.

The officer said the woman provided him with a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license that later was determined to belong to her sister, the complaint said.

Five days later, Zepeda received a call from Heymers’ sister, who told him that her sibling had been using her name to falsely identifying herself. The woman told Zepeda that she learned about the incident because her probation officer received the summons that was issued in her name, according to the complaint.

Zepeda said he was on patrol shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 when he spotted Heymers sitting in the passenger seat of the same Chevy that was in the driveway on Virginia Avenue, the complaint said.

Heymers was taken into custody after the vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Craigdell and Leechburg roads, according to the complaint.