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Lehigh County District Attorney's Office

Pennsylvania Man Charged After Toddler Shot Self With Unattended Gun: DA Pennsylvania Man Charged After Toddler Shot Self With Unattended Gun: DA
Pennsylvania Man Charged After Toddler Shot Self With Unattended Gun: DA Three-year-old Elijah Abreu Borgen accidentally shot himself with a gun that an Allentown man had stashed under the couch, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office.  Jose Hilario Abreu, 28, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors said in a release Friday.  Borgen was shot on the 900 block of East Hamilton Street on March 28 and rushed to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest where he succumbed to his injuries, city police said previously. On Friday, the DA's Office said Abreu had placed a loaded handgun under a sofa where Borgen and a 2-year-old w…
Double Allentown Murder Suspect Surrenders: Police Double Allentown Murder Suspect Surrenders: Police
Double Allentown Murder Suspect Surrenders: Police Gabriel Cartagena, the 44-year-old man wanted in connection with a double homicide last month in Allentown, has surrendered, police announced. Cartagena turned himself in on Thursday, Jan. 4, after warrants for his arrest on two counts of criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and various weapons offenses were issued, Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca said. According to the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office, Gabriel Cartagena shot and killed 44-year-old Ada Ortiz and her 1-year-old grandson, Sebastian Serrano Jr. inside a home on Chestnut Street. https:/…
Double Homicide: Infant, Woman, Man Shot In Allentown, Police Say Double Homicide: Infant, Woman, Man Shot In Allentown, Police Say
Double Homicide: Infant, Woman, Man Shot In Allentown, Police Say A man, a woman, and a baby were found shot in Allentown, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio told Daily Voice on Saturday.  The unnamed 66-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, and a 1-year-old infant were found shot in the 100 block of Chestnut Street, Allentown, Lehigh County, at 8:49 p.m. on Dec. 29, the coroner detailed.  The woman was pronounced dead at 9:59 PM and the baby boy was pronounced dead at 10:01 p.m., according to coroner Buglio.  The man was found wounded at the scene and was taken by Allentown EMS to a local hospital, the Allentown police explaine…
Allentown Stabbing Victim Had Harrowing Final Facebook Post Allentown Stabbing Victim Had Harrowing Final Facebook Post
Allentown Stabbing Victim Had Harrowing Final Facebook Post "The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride and nothing is guaranteed. 🥀" Those were the words posted to 29-year-old Kevin Tarafa's Facebook page nearly 24 hours exactly before he was stabbed dead in Allentown early Sunday, June 18. According to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office, Tarafa, of Bethlehem, was stabbed around 2:55 a.m. near 1522 Union Boulevard. At 4:45 a.m., he was pronounced dead on the 1600 Block of East Greenleaf Street. Tarafa's final Facebook post certainly left an impact, having been shared 42 times as of 3 p.m. "This is…
7K+ THC-Laced Fake Branded Products Seized In Central PA: DA 7K+ THC-Laced Fake Branded Products Seized In Central PA: DA
7K+ Thc-laced Fake Branded Products Seized In Central PA: DA Brand-name products were used to disguise illegal drugs found in Lancaster, according to a release by the District Attorney's Office on Thursday, June 1, 2023. Kellogg’s, Ruffles, and Nerds were among the over 7,200 products seized by the Lancaster County Drug Task Force during a two-day operation– with a total estimated value of approximately $290,000, as detailed in the DA's release. The task force went to 43 stores throughout the county and conducted searches with the store owners' consent to find the Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC products. Products seized included vapes, cartridges, oi…
Driver Surrenders In Crash That Killed Lehigh Valley Cyclist, Dad Of 3 Driver Surrenders In Crash That Killed Lehigh Valley Cyclist, Dad Of 3
Driver Surrenders In Crash That Killed Lehigh Valley Cyclist, Dad Of 3 The driver wanted in the crash that claimed the life of a beloved husband and dad of three last spring has surrendered to authorities, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday, Sept. 28. Anthony Rutch, 49, was arrested on charges of accidents involving death, homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and other traffic offenses, court records show. Rutch was behind the wheel of an Audi when he struck Alexander Zarnas, 36, on a bicycle on Mountain Road in Lower Macungie Township on March 9, 2021, WFMZ reports citing the DA's o…
Pregnant Woman, Unborn Baby Die In Allentown Car Crash, Coroner Says Pregnant Woman, Unborn Baby Die In Allentown Car Crash, Coroner Says
Pregnant Woman, Unborn Baby Die In Allentown Car Crash, Coroner Says A pregnant woman and her unborn baby died in a car crash in Allentown, authorities said. Sara M. Baskerville, of Allentown, was pronounced dead at St. Luke's University Hospital in Bethlehem at 2:39 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office. She was 35. Baskerville was the back-seat passenger in a car that struck another vehicle in the area of American Parkway and N. Irving Street around 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, officials said. The woman's baby also died in the crash, the office said. Baskerville's manner of death was determined to be acciden…
Central PA Dealer Wanted In Victim's 2020 Overdose Death: Lehigh DA Central PA Dealer Wanted In Victim's 2020 Overdose Death: Lehigh DA
Central PA Dealer Wanted In Victim's 2020 Overdose Death: Lehigh DA An arrest warrant has been obtained for a 29-year-old woman accused of providing the drugs that killed a 30-year-old man in 2020, various news outlets say citing the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office. Natalia Hellriegel, of Ephrata and Catasauqua, was charged this week with drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses regarding the overdose death of Dominic Anthony, of Lehigh Township, the DA's office reportedly said in a release. Anthony and Hellriegel appear to be friends on Facebook, where Hellriegel announced just days before her arrest warrant that she's been clean…
PA Mom Mourns Loss Of 2nd Son To Gun Violence PA Mom Mourns Loss Of 2nd Son To Gun Violence
PA Mom Mourns Loss Of 2nd Son To Gun Violence A mom in Pennsylvania is facing a tragedy that no parent ever wishes to face: She's gearing up to bury her son. And this isn't the first time she's had to do so. In 2017, Shalon Buskirk lost her son Parris Lane, who was shot and killed in Allentown at 19 years old.  This week, Najeer Lane was shot and killed on the 1000 block of West Juniata Street on Wednesday, Aug. 31, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office. He was pronounced dead just after midnight. A GoFundMe page for the family had raised nearly $5,000 as of Friday, Sept. 2. "Gun violence has stripped our fa…
Coroner Identifies Man Killed In I-78 Crash In Lehigh County Coroner Identifies Man Killed In I-78 Crash In Lehigh County
Coroner Identifies Man Killed In I-78 Crash In Lehigh County A 51-year-old man has been identified as the person who died in a single-car crash on I-78 in Lehigh County on Wednesday, Aug. 31, authorities said. Gary J. Navitsky died at the scene of the crash in the eastbound lanes of the highway at milepost 60.4 in Upper Saucon Township around 10:40 a.m., Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said. The Lower Macungie man was behind the wheel of a car that veered off the road, and struck a bridge support column, causing the vehicle to flip onto its roof, the coroner said. He died of multiple blunt force injuries and his death was ruled an a…
Support Surges For Family Of Lehigh Valley Girl, 16, Reading Man Killed In Crash Support Surges For Family Of Lehigh Valley Girl, 16, Reading Man Killed In Crash
Support Surges For Family Of Lehigh Valley Girl, 16, Reading Man Killed In Crash Support is pouring in for the families of a teenage girl and a 42-year-old man killed in a Lehigh Valley crash. Mia G. Due, 16, was a passenger in a vehicle struck by a motorcycle at MacArthur Road near Mechanicsville Road in Whitehall Township around 6:55 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said. The motorcyclist, who was identified as Jose Estrada, 42, of Reading, also died at the scene, authorities said. More than $33,300 had been raised for Due's family on a GoFundMe page as of Thursday, Aug. 4.  Due was one of three sisters and aspired to be a&nb…
Woman Shoots, Kills Roommate In Lehigh Valley: Report Woman Shoots, Kills Roommate In Lehigh Valley: Report
Woman Shoots, Kills Roommate In Lehigh Valley: Report A 40-year-old woman was arrested for shooting and killing her roommate in their Lehigh Valley home, WFMZ reports. Salisbury Township police officers were called just before 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1 to a home on the 700 block of East Federal Street, where they found 37-year-old Tracy Lynn Hoffman dead inside a bedroom, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio said in a Tuesday, Aug. 2 release. Terri Hodel, of Allentown, was arraigned on a criminal homicide charge on Monday and remanded to the Lehigh County Jail with bail denied, court records show. It all began on Sunday, July 31, when a member of …
1 Killed, 4 Hurt In Crash On American Parkway Bridge: Authorities 1 Killed, 4 Hurt In Crash On American Parkway Bridge: Authorities
1 Killed, 4 Hurt In Crash On American Parkway Bridge: Authorities One person was killed and several injured in a crash on a bridge in Allentown Wednesday, July 13, authorities said. Jose A. Perez, 45, of Allentown, was behind the wheel of a car that veered into an oncoming lane and struck another vehicle on the American Parkway Bridge around 9:10 p.m., officials with the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said. Perez was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital - Bethlehem, where he was pronounced dead at 10:31 p.m., the county coroner said.  He died from traumatic injuries sustained in the crash and his death was determined to be an accid…
Man Who Shot At Officers Over Mask Refusal Dies At Lehigh County Jail Man Who Shot At Officers Over Mask Refusal Dies At Lehigh County Jail
Man Who Shot At Officers Over Mask Refusal Dies At Lehigh County Jail A man who shot at officers nearly two years ago for refusing to wear a mask has died at the Lehigh County Jail, authorities said. Adam Zaborowski, 37, was found unresponsive in his cell early Friday, April 1, officials said. He was pronounced dead at 7:26 a.m., in the St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said. Zaborowski was charged with attempted homicide in the August 2020 shooting at Cigar International in Bethlehem, when he refused to wear a mask inside the business and shot the cashier, The Washington Post reports. He fled the sce…
PA Turnpike Truck Driver Pleads Guilty In Crash That Killed 5-Year-Old Girl: Report PA Turnpike Truck Driver Pleads Guilty In Crash That Killed 5-Year-Old Girl: Report
PA Turnpike Truck Driver Pleads Guilty In Crash That Killed 5-Year-Old Girl: Report A delivery driver admitted to charges of homicide by vehicle and seven counts of reckless endangerment in a Pennsylvania Turnpike crash that killed a 5-year-old girl, WFMZ reports. Evan Griffiths, 45, of Pittston, was texting and driving erratically minutes before he slammed into a car carrying Esther Park of Ambler, and her family in Lower Milford Township on June 20, 2019, the outlet says citing the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office. Esther was pronounced dead at the scene, while her parents and two siblings were taken to the hospital, according to the outl…
Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money
Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money The family of a New Jersey man shot and killed by an "inexperienced" police officer directing traffic at Dorney Park will receive $950,000 reached in the settlement of a wrongful death suit, The Morning Call reports. Joseph Santos' two adult sons and 11-year-old daughter will receive a portion of the settlement, aside from law firm costs and fees, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Morning Call. Santos' estate administrator, Juliana Valenzuela, agreed to end the lawsuit on Sept. 14, according to the settlement. South Whitehall Township Officer Jonathan Ros…
PA Trucker Out On Bond In Deadly Crash Arrested In 2nd That Killed Married Couple PA Trucker Out On Bond In Deadly Crash Arrested In 2nd That Killed Married Couple
PA Trucker Out On Bond In Deadly Crash Arrested In 2nd That Killed Married Couple A Pennsylvania trucker out on bond for his role in a deadly Montgomery County crash three months ago was charged again, this time for killing a married couple in a Lehigh County crash the year before, authorities said. Devon Michael Lindeman, 23, of Allentown, was charged with homicide by vehicle, recklessly endangering another person, and summary traffic offenses in the North Whitehall Township crash on June 21, 2020, that claimed the lives of Robert O’Rourke, 55, and Mary O'Rourke, 54, the Lehigh County District Attorney′s Office and Pennsylvania State Police said in a joint news rele…
Major Allentown Drug Bust Nets $567K Worth Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Meth, Firearms: AG Major Allentown Drug Bust Nets $567K Worth Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Meth, Firearms: AG
Major Allentown Drug Bust Nets $567K Worth Of Fentanyl, Cocaine, Meth, Firearms: AG An Allentown man was arrested Thursday after a search of his home and a separate location turned up $567,000 worth of fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, and two firearms, authorities said. Harold Bauza has been charged with drug possession with intent to deliver, dealing in unlawful proceeds and prohibited possession of a gun, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Friday. Bauza was on state parole at the time of his arrest for prior felony drug and weapons convictions, making him ineligible to purchase firearms. As a part of an ongoing drug investigatio…
Support Surges For Family Of PA Dad Shot Dead By NJ Road Rage Driver Support Surges For Family Of PA Dad Shot Dead By NJ Road Rage Driver
Support Surges For Family Of PA Dad Shot Dead By NJ Road Rage Driver Support is pouring in for the loved ones of a 42-year-old Pennsylvania dad of three who was shot dead by a New Jersey man after a road rage incident on Tuesday. Nearly $6,000 had been raised on a GoFundMe for Kippy Henry's loved ones as of Friday afternoon. The South Whitehall man leaves behind his wife Meggie, and their three children; Jahnessa, 17, Noah, 13, and Judah, 12, according to GoFundMe organizer Daniel Berta. Justin “Nuk” Nevius, of Phillipsburg, is accused of fatally shooting Henry for allegedly cutting him off on the streets of Allentown, authorities said. Officers were …
Berks Man Was DUI In Crash That Killed 26-Year-Old York Man Berks Man Was DUI In Crash That Killed 26-Year-Old York Man
Berks Man Was DUI In Crash That Killed 26-Year-Old York Man A Berks County man was triple the legal limit when he struck and killed a 26-year-old man in Lehigh County earlier this year, authorities said. Jonathan A. Richards, 40, of Shillington, is charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, involuntary manslaughter, DUI, and related offenses. Richards was driving his Jeep Wrangler north on Hamilton Boulevard in Upper Macungie early on Jan. 17 when he reportedly lost control and crossed into the south lane, colliding head-on with Wadnor J. Louis' car, LehighValleyLive says citing the Lehigh County District Attorney's Off…
Coroner IDs Allentown Woman Killed By Schuylkill County BF Coroner IDs Allentown Woman Killed By Schuylkill County BF
Coroner IDs Allentown Woman Killed By Schuylkill County BF Authorities have identified a 46-year-old woman who was killed by her boyfriend on Friday in Allentown. An autopsy completed Monday confirmed that Joan L. Cressman died of a gunshot wound and that her manner of death was a homicide, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office. Police received a 911 call around 9:45 a.m. from a man saying that the boyfriend of his neighbor killed her, according to authorities. Officers found Cressman with a gunshot wound to the head in her apartment in the 300 Block of North Oswego Street, authorities said. An unidentified witness reportedly …
Community Rallies For Family Of Lehigh Dad Killed By Driver In South Whitehall Community Rallies For Family Of Lehigh Dad Killed By Driver In South Whitehall
Community Rallies For Family Of Lehigh Dad Killed By Driver In South Whitehall The Lehigh County community is rallying for the family of a father of two killed by a driver in South Whitehall last week. Over $35,000 had been raised on a GoFundMe campaign for the family of Barry Evans, 30, who was struck around 8:55 p.m. on Sept. 2 while crossing the 1400 Block of North Cedar Crest Boulevard. The Coplay resident was pronounced dead at 9:24 p.m., the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said. Evans left behind his wife, Rebecca (Ciciliot) Evans, and two children, ages 5 and 3 years old, his GoFundMe reads. He worked as the General Manager of PrimoHoagies on Cedar Crest Boule…
DA: Allentown Man Accused Of Killing Mom, Sister Pleads Guilty But Mentally Ill DA: Allentown Man Accused Of Killing Mom, Sister Pleads Guilty But Mentally Ill
DA: Allentown Man Accused Of Killing Mom, Sister Pleads Guilty But Mentally Ill An Allentown man charged with killing his mother and sister in 2018 has entered a guilty plea, authorities announced. Zakiiy Carson, 37, on Tuesday pleaded guilty but mentally ill to two counts of murder in the third degree, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin. Carson called 911 himself on Oct. 28, 2018, and told dispatchers he had shot his mother and sister, identified as Newark, NJ natives Latricia Ezell and Ashley Campfield, authorities said. When officers took Carson into custody, he explained he had argued with his mom earlier that day about the treatment…
AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit
AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit A pair of Lehigh County men were arrested for their roles in the illegal straw purchases of 29 firearms in an effort to make up for the debt related to one of the man's drug use, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced. James Gleason, 38, of Emmaus, was instructed by Reynold Lewis, 37, of Allentown, to make straw purchases of firearms to pay back debt related to Gleason’s methamphetamine use, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.  Agents executed a search warrant on Lewis' hotel room and vehicle on May 3, and recovered one handgun, ammunition, firearm parts, and accesso…
Berks Man Already Charged With Homicide Stabs 2 Lehigh County Jail Corrections Officers Berks Man Already Charged With Homicide Stabs 2 Lehigh County Jail Corrections Officers
Berks Man Already Charged With Homicide Stabs 2 Lehigh County Jail Corrections Officers A 23-year-old Berks County man charged with homicide in relation to a shooting last August in Reading reportedly stabbed two corrections officers on March 9 at Lehigh County Jail in Allentown, according to LehighValleyLive. Mohnton native, Joewel Keita, who is now being housed in Berks County Prison, was charged Thursday with four counts of aggravated assault in the stabbing, according to court documents obtained by LehighValleyLive. Keita reportedly had a homemade knife but Lehigh County Jail staff members failed to find it in a search of his cell while Keita was on a recreation break the …