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Police: Man Who Threatened Couple With Handgun After Easton Crash Nabbed In Carbon County

A 43-year-old man wanted for an assault that occurred after a minor crash was arrested in Carbon County after several weeks on the lam, authorities said.

Investigation by Lansford PD.

Investigation by Lansford PD.

Photo Credit: Lansford PD

Rodney Keith Rivers was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, simple assault, terroristic threats and possession of a weapon, according to court papers. 

Rivers was served a "high risk search and arrest warrant on the 300 block of East Bertsch Street in Lansford, apparently where he lives, local police said.

A male and a female came into Wilson Borough police headquarters around 6 p.m. March 7 saying they were in a crash with a black Audi around 2 hours prior, in a parking lot on Butler Street, according to court documents.

As the female was giving the Audi occupants her insurance information, a passenger -- later identified as Rivers -- demanded $300, police said.

The man said he got out of the car when he heard Rivers yelling. When the pair told Rivers they had no money, he began hitting the male in the face, breaking his teeth, police said.

Rivers hit the female on the shoulder before getting a black handgun from the Audi and put it in his waistband, authorities said.

He forced the male to give him his ID card and said if he didn't give him $300 in 15 minutes that "something bad would happen to him," all while patting the gun on his waistband, police said.

Rivers gave his phone number to the victims and left, police said.

Authorities were able to verify the phone number was associated with Rivers, and a license photo that matched the description provided by the victims, police said.

Lansford police were assisted by Pennsylvania State Police SRT, the Nesquhoning Police, the Summit Hill Police, Carbon EMA 1, various Fire Police, Lehighton Ambulance, the Lansford Fire Department, the Office of the District Attorney, and Carbon County Communications, in Rivers' arrest.

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