2 cited in Westmoreland in accusation of violating stay-at-home order

State police cited two people for violating Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home order after troopers said they were found drinking at a friend’s Bell Township home, according to court papers.

Kara Lee Lawson, 27, of Bell and Scott James Renwick, 28, of Loyalhanna were cited for violating the Disease Control and Prevention Act of 1955. Troopers reported that the pair got into a fight April 11 while they were at the friend’s house. Both were cited for harassment.

Summonses were issued Monday. Neither Lawson nor Renwick could be reached.

Wolf issued stay-at-home orders to Allegheny and six other counties on March 23. Westmoreland residents were ordered to stay home four days later. The stay-at-home order was expanded to the entire state Wednesday and is in effect until April 30.

The citations against Lawson and Renwick may be the first related to the stay-at-home order filed by local state troopers. Statewide enforcement statistics from April 1 through Sunday show only two warnings have been issued by troopers in Troop A, which includes Westmoreland County.

Two citations have been filed statewide since April 1, one each in Chester and Montour counties. A York County woman was cited last month. The statute under which they were cited is one that was mentioned in guidance to police agencies in relation to businesses that weren’t complying with orders to close.

That statute applies to “any person who violates any of the provisions” of the governor’s orders under the Pennsylvania Disease Control and Prevention Law of 1955. Under the stay-at-home order, residents can leave for certain activities, including to get food or medicine, visit a doctor, care for a family member in another household or to exercise.