Joseph Gindhart, 27, of 1 W. Water St., Lansford, faces charges from an incident which took place on Nov. 23 at Water and Centre streets, Lansford. Charges of altered, forged, or counterfeit documents and plates, display of registration plate, registration and certificate of title required, unauthorized transfer or use of vehicle registration, drivers required to be licensed, driving under suspension, and driving without insurance.

Charges were filed by Officer Jason Helmer.According to an affidavit of probable cause, here's what happened:At about 3:30 p.m. that day, Helmer was on patrol and traveling east along West Water Street when he saw a black sedan without plates turn onto Water Street from Centre Street. Getting behind the car, he noticed there was a registration placard placed in the rear window, obstructing the third rear brake light.Helmer pulled the car over and asked the driver for his license, registration and insurance papers. The driver said he didn't have his license with him, and that he had just bought the car and did not have the registration or proof of insurance.The driver identified himself as Gindhart, and gave Helmer a pink title transfer paper from PennDOT. The paper indicated that Gindhart had only applied for a title transfer, but had not transferred the title for, nor applied for registration, for the car which he was driving, which was a 1999 Toyota.A check on the registration from the back window indicated it was for a 1998 Toyota and had an expiration of 12/2012. Helmer noticed the registration had a 6/2013 validation sticker. Another check found that Gindhart's driver's license had been suspended.Helmer asked Gindhart about the findings. Gindhart told him that he had removed the validation sticker from the previous owner's registration and applied it to his because it was a newer sticker.Gindhart claimed to have existing insurance, but was unable to render proof. He also said he never told his insurer about the new car.