People arrested are innocent unless proven otherwise in court. Initial charges often change as a case progresses.

ALBANY POLICE

Sword in car — During a traffic stop, police found a 2-foot-long doubled-edged sword in the vehicle belonging to a Lebanon man. He was charged with felon in possession of a restricted weapon.

Rape charge — According to police, a mother asked a 27-year-old man to meet her at Denny’s on Spicer Road Thursday to discuss his relationship with her 14-year-old daughter. The man agreed, and when he arrived the mother had a police detective with her. Michael David Evans of Albany was charged on probable cause for 10 counts of third-degree rape and five counts of third-degree sodomy.

Retail robbery — Elizabeth Mary Rutherford, 28, of Albany was arrested Thursday on charges of third-degree robbery stemming from an alleged shoplifting incident at Costco. Police are investigating.

LINN COUNTY SHERIFF

Injury crash — Deputies responded to a head-on collision in the 23100 block of Powerline Road at about 5:25 p.m. Thursday. According to deputies, Katherine Sallas, 25, of Harrisburg was driving northbound on Powerline Road at 60 miles per hour in a 1990 Mazda 626 when she struck a vehicle being driven by Stefanie Smucker, 19, also of Harrisburg. Smucker was driving a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta southbound in the northbound lane. She had been attempting to travel just one driveway over, from her grandmother’s house to her home. Sallas was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield with back pain and a possible broken leg. Two small children were in the car with her. Smucker sustained major facial lacerations resulting from impact with the windshield of her car and was also transported to Sacred Heart.

Assault — A deputy responding to a 911 hangup in the 39000 block of McDowell Creek Drive in Lebanon found a visibly beaten woman. Donald Gene Veach, 48, of Lebanon was arrested later on probable cause for fourth-degree domestic assault. He is scheduled to appear in court today.

So many tires — Around 5 a.m. today, about 100 tires were found dumped on Midway Road between Goltra and Three Lakes roads. The tires were on both sides of the road. A crew from the Linn County Road Department was to pick them up later.

LEBANON POLICE

Car prowlers — A man chased away two car prowlers on bicycles around 3:40 a.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of Hiatt Street. Police stopped two people on bicycles but they didn’t match the description of the prowlers.

Woman in street — Police responded at 9:20 a.m. Thursday to a report of a woman pacing in the intersection of Main and Dodge streets. An officer gave the woman a ride to her home. About 15 minutes later, police received another call about the woman in the middle of the street again and this time she had spit on and kicked a man. Police took the woman to the police station for detox and for harassment charges.

Lighting fires — A mail carrier called police around 3:35 p.m. Thursday, saying a group of juveniles were at a park in the 200 block of S. Fifth Street and were lighting garbage on fire. An officer spoke with three teenagers and took a lighter from them.

SWEET HOME POLICE

Car damage — Police received a call Thursday about a vehicle parked in the 1600 block of Long Street that had been vandalized. The registration stickers were stolen and the driver’s side door was damaged.

Owl call — An officer responded at 6:26 p.m. Thursday to a report of an injured owl on the ground near Highway 228 and Vista Lane. By the time the officer arrived, the owl was in a tree and appeared to be fine.

SCIO FIRE

Barn fire — Five units from the Scio Fire Department responded to a barn fire at 40620 Highway 226 in Scio early this morning. Property owner Sharon Dougherty was able to rescue a number of goats lodged in the barn before firefighters arrived just after midnight.

The response included three engines, a rescue unit and two water tender units, one from Lyons.

Firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to an adjoining building, but the barn was completely destroyed. The cause is unknown, and the fire department has not determined whether there will be an investigation.