Police News

Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department

June 11 through June 17
Assignments: 253

Assists: 48
Accidents: 22
Animal Cases: 7

Parking Citations: 0
Alarms: 33

EMS Calls: 28
Fire Calls: 5
Doors/Windows Open: 0

Traffic Citations: 31
July 2 through July 8

Assignments: 281
Assists: 63
Accidents: 16

Animal Cases: 11
Parking Citations: 1

Alarms: 38
EMS Calls: 32
Fire Calls: 9

Doors/Windows Open: 0
Traffic Citations: 44

Crimes – Berks County:
June 25 – Topton – Report of harassment, Franklin St.

June 28 – Maxatawny – Report of domestic disturbance, Apex Ave.

June 28 – Topton – Report of harassment, Barkley St.

July 1 – Maxatawny – Report of disorderly conduct, Kutztown Rd.

July 2 – Topton – Report of criminal mischief to vehicle, W. Franklin St.

July 4 – Topton – Report of harassment, E. Barkley St.

July 4 – Lyons – Report of criminal mischief to vehicle, S. Kemp St.

July 5 – Topton – Report of property damage, E. Smith St.

July 6 – Maxatawny – Report of fraud, Krumsville Rd.

July 8 – Topton – Report of criminal mischief to property, Spruce St.

July 8 – Topton – Report of a domestic disturbance, N. Home Ave.

Arrests – Berks County:
June 25 – Local business cited for false alarms.

June 27 – Adult female, 27, arrested for DUI.

June 27 – Adult male, 55, arrested for harassment.

State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police recognized the Fourth of July Holiday Enforcement Period which began on Wednesday July 4, 2012 and ended on Sunday July 8, 2012. Troopers working during the holiday period engaged in high visibility enforcement efforts directed toward aggressive driving violations such as following too closely, abrupt lane changes, driving under the influence, and speeding.

Troop L enforcement activities:

1343 citations. Berks-462 Schuylkill-535 Lebanon-346

15 DUI arrests. Berks-10 Schuylkill-3 Lebanon-2

42 crashes. 0 fatals, 2 alcohol related crashes

State Police Report Nine Killed, 312 Injured in Fourth of July Holiday Crashes

Nine people were killed and 312 people injured in crashes investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police during the Fourth of July holiday driving period.

State troopers investigated a total of 845 crashes between July 4 and 8. Of those crashes, 85 were alcohol-related, including four of the fatalities. Seven of those killed were not wearing seat belts.

During the same period, state troopers arrested 432 people for driving under the influence.

“I’m disappointed that so many drivers still get behind the wheel after drinking,” State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan said. “And it’s clear that far too many people don’t buckle up when they travel. The numbers illustrate once again that risky behavior, such as drinking and driving or not wearing a seat belt, can lead to tragic ends.”

During the five-day period, troopers issued 7,888 speeding citations, cited 773 motorists for failing to wear seat belts and issued 107 citations to motorists for not securing children in safety seats.

The number of people killed and injured, as well as the number of crashes, increased over last year’s Fourth of July holiday period. Between July 1 and 4, 2011, there were seven fatalities and 303 injuries in the 723 crashes to which troopers responded.

These reports cover only those incidents investigated by State Police and do not include statistics on crashes to which other law-enforcement agencies responded.

June 4 to July 7: An unknown person(s) entered a house on 3404 Pricetown Road, Ruscombmanor Township, and stole a large amount of construction items and appliances. The persons(s) then fled in an unknown direction. The victims were Reading resident Timothy Raymond Strunk, 52, and Leesport resident Joy Lynn Lott, 47.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact state police in Reading at (610) 378-4011 ext. 3.

June 18 to June 21:Police report a theft by deception. A Kutztown resident had responded to a CraigsList advertisement which showed a 23-foot Camper for sale. He had responded by sending $2,000 via Western Union to an address in London, England for the camper, which was to have been delivered from Robinsdale, Minnesota. The camper, however, never arrived.

June 30: A 2005 Chrystler 300 driven by Stony Run resident Lisa M. Fish, 37, was traveling in the right lane of state Route 143 north. As Fish passed the Pine Creek Road intersection in Berks County, a deer ran onto the roadway; Fish accidentally struck and killed the dear with her left-front bumper.

Fish continued north for about a mile, as there was no safe location initially to pull to the side of the road.

Fish was not injured as a result of the collision, though her vehicle was disabled after suffering moderate damage. Fish had made arrangements for her vehicle to be towed from the scene.

July 1: At 1:05 a.m., a Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Emmaus resident Wade M. Fink, 39, was traveling westbound on Stagecoach Road, west of Rhoads Road; Fink left the north side of the roadway, lost control of his vehicle, and was thrown from it onto the road. The vehicle came to rest on the roadside, north of the road.

Fink suffered major injuries and was transported by Kutztown EMS to Lehigh Valley Hospital. Kempton Fire Department also assisted at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing.
July 5: At 10:35 p.m., a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox driven by a 17-year-old male from Nazareth was traveling west on I-78, turning on Exit 35 at a high rate of speed. The driver was unable to negotiate the exit’s curve and lost traction with loose stones on the berm; the vehicle struck a dividing concrete barrier and went 20 feet in an easterly direction. The vehicle came to rest along the exit’s berm, facing east.

The driver was transported by Kutztown Ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest. Assisting with traffic control was Virginville Fire Co. The vehicle suffered heavy left-front damage from the incident.

A charge of driving at unsafe speeds will be filed against the driver through District Court 23-3-06 in Hamburg.

July 6: A crash occurred at 4:30 p.m., as a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo driven by Hamburg resident Jay R. Paetzell II, 30, and a commercial truck tractor and semi-trailer driven by an unknown person were traveling west on I-78. Paetzell had been weaving through traffic at an excessive speed, and as he attempted to pass a vehicle in the right lane, he lost control; his vehicle spun out of control and struck the left rear tandem tires of the truck with his vehicle’s right front.

After impact, Paetzell’s vehicle then went in a southern direction and struck the center concrete barrier, after which it continued west, coming to rest in a northeast direction and blocking the left lane of I-78. The truck-trailer, after initial impact, had continued on without stopping.

Paetzell suffered a minor cut, refusing medical treatment from the responding Kutztown Ambulance Service. His vehicle had suffered heavy frontal damage, and Paetzell had not been wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash.

The left lane of I-78 was blocked for approximately 15 minutes after the incident, and the Kutztown Fire Co. responded due to fluids on the highway. Charges will be filed against Paetzell through District Court 23-3-06 of Hamburg.

Anyone with details regarding the involved truck-trailer should contact state police in Hamburg at 610-562-6885 ext. 3.