Police Blotter

Man Charged with Assaulting Cops Has Court Date Friday

A preliminary hearing is scheduled Friday in Lehigh County Court for Thomas J. Patton, who allegedly assaulted two Upper Macungie police officers in January, according to online court records.

A man who allegedly assaulted two Upper Macungie Township police officers is scheduled to face a preliminary hearing Friday morning in Lehigh County Court, according to online court records. Thomas J. Patton, 21, of Allentown, has been in Lehigh County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail since he allegedly assaulted two Upper Macungie police officers responding to a call of a disturbance at 393 Natalie Drive in the township. Police said Patton was combative when they arrived at 2:14 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, and allegedly assaulted the two officers. Online court records show Patton is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, four counts of criminal mischief (damaging and tampering with property), two counts of…

• Photos (1)

Man Gave False Name, Police Say

Upper Macungie Police said Enrique Camargo-Gomez, of Macungie, provided false identification at a traffic stop and was driving with a suspended license.

Upper Macungie Police charged a Macungie man by summons with several offenses following a Saturday evening traffic stop. Police said Enrique Camargo-Gomez, 39, of Macungie, provided them with a false name and date of birth during a 6:45 p.m. traffic stop at Trexlertown Road and Hamilton Boulevard. Police said they later found out that Camargo-Gomez's driving license was suspended. Police said he was charged by summons with driving with a suspended license, providing unsworn falsification to authorities and providing false identification,

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Fatal Crash Driver Had No Registration, Insurance: DA

A Whitehall man who struck and killed trick-or-treater Jordan Steinmetz as he walked along Schantz Road in Upper Macungie on Oct. 26, 2012 has been cited for not having insurance or a registered vehicle.

The driver who struck and killed a 14-year-old boy on Oct. 26 has been cited for driving without insurance and without a properly registered vehicle, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said Thursday in a press release. Upper Macungie Police filed the citations against Christopher Lee, 29, of Whitehall, on Wednesday at the offices of District Judge Michael Faulkner. Lee was also cited for having a cowl induction hood, which increases a car's horsepower and is against codes. "There was no evidence to indicate that those summary offenses were a substantial cause of the accident that would warrant the filing of more serious criminal charges," Martin said. "The motorist [Lee] was cited on Wednesday because the investigation and the …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Two Injured In Route 100 Crash, Police Say

Upper Macungie Police said the crash occurred on Route 100 at Industrial Boulevard in Breinigsville Thursday.

Upper Macungie Police said two people were injured in a two-car accident Thursday at Route 100 and Industrial Boulevard in Breinigsville. Police said a vehicle driven by Brittany Sperlbaum of Allentown was making a left turn onto Industrial Boulevard from Route 100 when it hit a car driven by Kelly Girke of Trexlertown at approximately 6:30 p.m. The impact of the collision sent Girke's car into a light pole in the median of the intersection, police said. Police said Girke was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. A passenger in Sperlbaum's car, Kattarina Leonard of Allentown, was also taken to the hospital with back and neck pain, police said. Police said Sperlbaum was not injured.

• Photos (1)

Hit-And-Run Driver Sought By Police

The incident occurred in the area of Route 100 and Hassadahl Road.

Upper Macungie Police are seeking the driver of a pickup truck who left the seen of an accident Wednesday in the area of Route 100 and Hassadahl Road. Police said a vehicle driven by Terri Knodler of New Tripoli was traveling north on Route 100 where the roadway becomes one lane near Mohr Road. Police said it was at that location where her vehicle was struck by a small pickup truck. Police said the pickup truck, possibly a Toyota with a black cab and blue body, was last seen traveling east on Hilltop Road. No injuries were reported in the accident. Anyone with information on this incident should contact Upper Macungie Police at 484-661-5911 or 610-437-5252.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Trexlertown Stabbing Under Investigation, Police Say

The incident took place at approximately 3:45 a.m. Friday.

Upper Macungie Township police confirmed that they are currently investigating an early morning stabbing in Trexlertown. Police say the stabbing took place at approximately 3:45 a.m. in the 1100 block of Trexlertown Road. No further information was immediately available. A report on WFMZ said an unidentified man was taken into custody and a woman was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest.

• Photos (1)

Upper Macungie Sets Police Salaries

Upper Macungie Township supervisors set salaries for new police department.

Upper Macungie Township completed the official hiring of its 27-person police force by setting the salaries for its sergeants, detectives and patrol officers.  At a short meeting Friday morning, township supervisors unanimously approved the salaries and stipulated that the members will received the same health care and other benefits that other township employees get. The salaries are: -- Sergeants William Easparro, Daniel P. Fagan, Joseph J. Geczi, Stephen J. Marshall Jr., Peter V. Nickischer and Cory S. Reader will be paid $66,350 a year. -- Detectives Adam X. Miller, Darren W. Simmers and Justin M. Wheeler will receive $63,300 a year.  -- Patrol officers coming from Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Michael A. Cardell, Rober G. Djevharian, …

• Photos (4)

Berks-Lehigh Police Commission Meets Tonight

The Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Commission, which voted to disband after the defection of Upper Macungie Township, must tie up all of its loose ends.

The Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Commission, which voted to disband following the defection of Upper Macungie Township earlier this year, will meet tonight at 7 at Station 56. The commission will have a lot on its plate, including how to divvy up pension payments to its officers, according to the commission's charter. Commission member Sam Ashmar of Upper Macungie has said that cost could be prohibitive to the township. Equipment, personnel and other matters will be on the commission's docket tonight.  

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

25 Officers Hired for New Police Force in Upper Macungie

Upper Macungie continues preparations to launch its own police force, including hiring 25 officers.

Upper Macungie Township reports more progress toward establishing its own police force, which will begin full operation in January 2013. This week, officials: Last month, the borough authorized purchase of six new Ford Interceptor police cars for the department. The new police officers will join two lieutanants hired in May. Former state trooper Edgardo Colon is chief of the force and leading the preparations as the township splits from the former regional Berks-Lehigh force, which will continue to provide local law enforcement through the end of 2012. Colon declined to say how many Berks-Lehigh Regional police officers will be asked to to join the township department, according to a Lehigh Valley Live report.

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Benny

8:22 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012

why is a Minneapolis cop commenting on an upper macungie police force?   more ›

Upper Macungie Police Station Taking Shape

The 12,000 foot structure behind the Upper Macungie Township building is starting to look like a police station -- but without the cops and criminals.

• Photos (5)