Police Reports

Obscene Calls Made by Man on Drugs: Police

Hellertown Police say Timothy Louis Stepp, 47, of Wilson, admitted making obscene phone calls to borough women 'at random' while he was under the influence of drugs.

A Wilson man who allegedly made obscene phone calls to several borough women targeted at random has been charged with harassment by communication and disorderly conduct, Hellertown Police announced in a press release. Police said an investigation revealed that Timothy Louis Stepp, 47, of the 600 block of South 22nd Street, made the phone calls during the early morning hours of April 1 and April 2. According police, phone records from one of the victims were used to tie Stepp to the calls, which he allegedly admitted to making. Police said Stepp told them he made the calls while he was under the influence of drugs.

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Police Reports

Dispute Over Children Sparked Fight, Police Say

Hellertown Police say two men who allegedly fought in an alley behind Main Street were cited for disorderly conduct.

Two borough men who allegedly fought in an alley behind the 1500 block of Main Street were cited for disorderly conduct, Hellertown Police said in a news release. According to police, officers were called to Morris Alley for a report of a fight at about 6 p.m. May 9. At the scene, police said it was determined that Joseph D. Gerstenberg, 46, of the 1500 block of Main Street, and Jason Joseph Britland, 37, of the 1500 block of Burkhardt Street, Hellertown, had fought because of a "dispute involving the children of both men."

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Police Reports

Distracted Van Driver Struck VW Bug, Police Say

Hellertown Police say Pedro Hernandez, 75, of Hellertown, struck a parked 1999 Volkswagen Beetle on Rentzheimer Drive, causing it to coast about 325 feet down the street.

The driver of a 15-passenger van became distracted when a bottle of water spilled and he lost control of his vehicle, striking a 1999 Volkswagen Beetle parked in the 500 block of Rentzheimer Drive, Hellertown Police announced in a press release. According to police, Pedro Hernandez, 75, of Hellertown, was driving the van when the accident occurred at 9:18 a.m. May 5. Police said the impact from the collision caused the VW to coast approximately 325 feet down the street, where it came to rest in the front yard of a home. The Bug had to be towed from the scene because its owner could not be located, police added. Hernandez was cited for careless driving, according to Hellertown Police.

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Police Reports

Dog Bit Elderly Woman in Thigh, Police Say

Hellertown Police say a dog owned by Sharanda Shook, 24, broke loose from its leash and bit a 70-year-old woman in the thigh on East Saucon Street.

A borough woman was cited for a Pennsylvania dog law violation after her dog broke loose from its leash and bit a 70-year-old woman in the back of her thigh, according to Hellertown Police. In a news release, police said the incident occurred on the morning of April 24 on East Saucon Street. Police said the dog owned by Sharanda Shook, 24, was quarantined for 10 days, after which it was examined and "cleared for rabies." Shook will be liable for the victim's medical expenses, police said.

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Police Reports

Off-Roading at Cinder Banks Gets 2 Men in Trouble

Hellertown Police say two men have been cited for allegedly riding off-road vehicles in the Cinder Banks area near the Saucon Creek.

Two men were cited for violating a borough ordinance, after Hellertown Police say they were caught riding off-road vehicles in the Cinder Banks area near the Saucon Creek. The Cinder Banks is an extension of Water Street Park and a borough-owned natural area near the Saucon Creek. In a news release, police said Ritchie R. Rosa, 32, of the 2400 block of South Fourth Street, Allentown, and Angel L. Rivas-Miranda, 28, of the 1500 block of East Ninth Street, Bethlehem, were caught riding their vehicles at about 5:20 p.m. May 1. Police said the vehicles were impounded, pending proof of their ownership. A violation of the borough ordinance "Prohibited Acts in Park System" carries a fine of up to $1,000, police said.

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Marc "Wiggy" Kovacs

12:23 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

Don't forget about the monkey!!!   more ›

Police Reports

Teen Driver Rear-Ended SUV, Lifted It Off Ground: Police

Hellertown Police say a teenage girl caused an accident when she rear-ended a Ford SUV on Main Street near Hess Avenue.

Hellertown Police say a teen driver was recently cited as a juvenile as a result of a Main Street accident. In a news release, police said the accident occurred near Hess Avenue on April 20 at about 11:23 a.m. Police said an investigation determined that the girl—who was northbound in a Honda—rear-ended a Ford SUV in front of her because she was following it too closely. The impact from the crash "caused the rear of the Ford SUV to come off the ground," police said, adding that the SUV sustained "minimal damage" while the Honda the girl was driving incurred "moderate front end damage." No injuries were reported as a result of the accident, according to authorities.

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Police Reports

Man Wanted in N.J. Arrested in Borough, Police Say

Hellertown Police say Leonard M. Weston, 41, of Easton, was taken into custody at 1320 Whitaker St.

An Easton man who was wanted on a New Jersey warrant was arrested in Hellertown, according to borough police. Police announced in a news release that Leonard M. Weston, 41, was taken into custody at 1320 Whitaker St. on the morning of April 29. At the time he was arrested, police said Weston was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension. The Express-Times, which published a photo of Weston and said he was the newspaper's featured "Fugitive of the Week" for Jan. 25, reported that he was wanted on a warrant for burglary in Warren County. Following his arraignment before District Judge David Tidd of Lower Saucon Township, police said Weston was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 for …

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'Suspicious Device' Was Speaker, Police Confirm

Hellertown Police say the 'suspicious device' that caused a bomb scare and prompted the closure of Main Street Wednesday night was actually an external speaker with an LED light.

The "suspicious" item that caused much anxiety in downtown Hellertown Wednesday night was actually "an external speaker with a blue LED (light) in it that is used for cell phone or video gaming," borough police have confirmed in a news release. Following the discovery of the item around 9 p.m., Main Street was cordoned off and authorities set up a command post in the parking lot of Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant, 430 Main St., near the intersection where it was found. The restaurant and nearby homes were evacuated, as Dewey Fire Company No. 1 was opened as a temporary shelter and Route 412 traffic was detoured onto Front and Northampton streets. After the Bethlehem Hazardous Device Unit—also known as the bomb squad—arrived at the …

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Main Street Reopened Following Bomb Scare [Updated]

Main Street in downtown Hellertown reopened and evacuated residents returned home late Wednesday night. The Bethlehem bomb squad had been on scene to investigate a suspicious item discovered Wednesday evening.

A bomb scare in downtown Hellertown late Wednesday night closed a portion of Main Street and evacuated area residents. As of 11 p.m., the Bethlehem Hazardous Device Unit cleared the scene, following the discovery of a suspicious package near Main and Durham streets Wednesday evening. Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes and traffic began flowing freely on Main Street. What an alert Hellertown Patch reader and local resident described Wednesday evening as a "bomb scare" in the 400 block of Main Street was confirmed by borough police as a tactical response to a suspicious package. As of 10:30 p.m., the Bethlehem Hazardous Device Unit was on-scene and Main Street in Hellertown remained closed north of Walnut Street, with …

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