June 05--THARPTOWN -- For the third time in 11 days in the Shamokin-Coal Township area, a man has been charged with damaging a police cruiser.
The latest disturbance occurred Sunday night in a parking lot area at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital and led to the arrest of Kevin M. Reed, 21, of 110 N. Beech St., Mount Carmel.
Reed was arraigned around noon Monday by Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones of Mount Carmel on a felony of aggravated assault and charges of simple assault, institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, harassment and disorderly conduct.
The defendant was committed to Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $20,000 cash bail.
Reed is accused of grabbing the arm of his pregnant girlfriend, Natasha Dietrich, in the hospital parking lot, spitting in the face of emergency medical technician Brian Balchunas, threatening him and attempting to punch him, and kicking out a window on a Coal Township police cruiser upon being taken into custody at about 9:15 p.m.
Dietrich told police she picked Reed up at a bar in Kulpmont earlier in the evening before the couple started to argue. Dietrich said Reed then smashed out a window on his car with his right arm, causing him to suffer a cut that required medical attention. Dietrich said she then drove Reed to Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital to seek treatment. But Dietrich said the couple then started to argue again in the parking lot.
Dietrich said Reed grabbed her by the arm at one point, prompting her to strike him in the eye so he would let her go.
Balchunas, an EMT with AREA Services Ambulance who was outside the emergency room entrance after dropping off a patient, was informed by hospital personnel about the disturbance in the parking lot and went to offer assistance.
Balchunas said he spotted two people in the lower end of the parking lot near Kelley Drive and Hospital Road. As he approached the area, Balchunas said he saw a man (Reed) yelling at a female (Dietrich), who was sitting on the ground. Balchunas said Reed was running around shouting profanities and punching a hospital sign.
Police said when Balchunas asked Reed to calm down, the defendant became verbally abusive toward him, spit in his face twice and pushed him several times. Balchunas said Reed also threatened to punch him in the face and beat him up if he ever saw him on the street.
Balchunas said he contacted Northumberland County Communications Center for police assistance.
After calling for assistance, Balchunas said Reed pushed him again and took a swing at him with a closed fist, but failed to land the punch.
Balchunas said Reed ran to his vehicle and was going to drive away, but suddenly exited his car and pushed Balchunas again.
Reed then fled the scene on foot on Hospital Road toward Center Street as police were arriving at the hospital. He was apprehended on Stevens Street, just east of Hospital Road.
Upon being handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car, Reed used both feet to smash out the driver's side rear window.
While detained in a cell at Coal Township Police Station prior to his arraignment, Reed shouted obscenities at police and banged on the cell door.
Police had to shackle Reed's hands and legs together to prevent him from causing additional property damage while being transported to and from his arraignment.
Joel Silberman, 26, of 1328 W. Montgomery St., Coal Township, was charged by Coal Township Patrolman Terry Ketchem with criminal mischief for smashing a window and damaging a door frame on a police cruiser in connection with a May 23 disturbance outside his home.
Sunday's disturbance and the May 23 incident have left Coal Township police with two less patrol cars until they can be repaired.
Also, Kenneth Scott Salmon, 45, of 8 N. Marshall St., Shamokin, was previously charged by Shamokin Cpl. John Brown with aggravated assault, burglary, two counts of simple assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, public drunkenness and criminal mischief relating to a May 24 assault of two city police officers, an adult probation officer and a Marshall Street resident that also involved Salmon kicking a window and bending the door frame on a police car.
Copyright 2012 - The News-Item, Shamokin, Pa.
