WEST GOSHEN – Two Coatesville men face drug and weapons charges after they were allegedly smoking a blunt in Coatesville's North End.
At around 20:36, Cpl. Larry Cooper and Ofc. Carmen Mollichella of the Coatesville Police spotted two men at the corner of North 3rd Avenue and East Chestnut Street; one of the men was reportedly smoking "what appeared to be a blunt." At that point, Coatesville Police made contact with the suspects – Travis Maurice Montgomery, 19, of the 100 block of West Lincoln Highway, and Jonathan Terrel Johnson, 19, of the 300 block of Buchannon Drive. When asked where the blunt was, Johnson allegedly said "we threw the blunt down the street when we saw (Cpl. Cooper), according to the criminal complaint.
Montgomery reportedly told officers that he didn't have anything on him; during a subsequent pat down search, an officer found a bulge in Montgomery's right pants pocket. "Upon placing his hand on the bulge, a strong odor of what (the officer) believed was marijuana was detected coming from the defendant. Along with the odor, the officer could feel that the item was a plastic bag with a knot, this being known to the officer as the way narcotics are transported." A pat down search of Johnson reportedly uncovered a plastic baggie containing suspected marijuana in his front left pants pocket.
Both suspects were taken into custody; a preliminary field test of the substance returned a presumptive positive for marijuana.
Upon arriving at the station, Cpl. Cooper conducted a further search of Montgomery in the processing room of the Coatesville police station. Upon doing so, "located in (Montgomery's) crotch was a hard metal object. Upon retrieving this item, it was found that it was a .25 caliber automatic firearm with seven rounds in the magazine … also located was a clear plastic baggie containing 56 black heat sealed baggies with a off-white rock like substance in them. These items were field tested and did give a positive reaction for the presence of cocaine."
The suspected narcotics were placed into evidence and will be sent to the Lima Labs for further testing.
A subsequent check of the firearm revealed that it had been stolen and that Montgomery, presumably due to his being under the age of 21, didn't "possess a license to conceal or carry a firearm," according to the complaint. The owner of the stolen firearm made a positive identification of the gun, and stated that he didn't give permission for anyone to possess the firearm.
Montgomery was arraigned this morning by West Goshen District Judge William Kraut on charges of PWID, Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License, Receiving Stolen Property, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, Possession of Marijuana. Montgomery was committed to CCP in lieu of $15,000 cash bail (15-1-05, CR-0000170-09).
Johnson was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, and Possession of Marijuana; he was released after posting 10 percent of $5,000 bail (15-1-05, CR-0000171-09).
Preliminary hearings for both men are scheduled for July 20 in front of Valley District Judge Grover Koon…
A Downingtown woman faces charges after an alleged domestic assault in the borough's West Ward.
At around 16:51 Saturday, Sgt. Christian Cummins of the Downingtown Police responded to the 200 block of William Street for a report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival, the suspect, Elizabeth A. Riggins, 29, claimed that she "had her head smashed against her kitchen counter, was choked by the victim, and had her arm broken by him. EMT's from Minquas EMS had been dispatched to the location, however, officers determined that "there was no trauma whatsoever to the defendant, as she had no breaks, lacerations, bumps, or even a red mark" from her alleged assault, according to the criminal complaint.
The male half, however, had three large lacerations across his chest. "One began at his upper left chest and stretched across to his lower right chest … The second began at his upper left shoulder area and continued down to his left upper abdomen; this laceration was the deepest," the complaint noted. "The third laceration began on his upper left abdomen just under the ending of the second laceration and continued across the top of his stomach."
The victim told police that he and Riggins were arguing in the kitchen when she attacked him and came at him, smashing a cupcake on him. He then pushed her away and she grabbed the knife and began swinging it at him, cutting him the three times across his chest and abdomen. He then left the residence to get away from Riggins.
Riggins is currenly on parole following a 2007 conviction on assault and related offenses.
On April 26, 2007, Ofc. Scott Neuhaus of the Downingtown Police charged Riggins with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, REAP, Possession of an Instrument of Crime, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, Possession of Marijuana, Harassment, and Disorderly Conduct for what appears to be a similar incident against a different male victim. On August 9, 2007, Riggins pled guilty to Simple Assault, Possession of an Instrument of Crime, and Possession of Drug Paraphanalia in front of Common Pleas Judge Howard F. Riley, Jr.; she was sentenced to 104 days to 23 months at CCP plus one year probation consecutive to parole (CP-15-CR-0001928-2007).
Riggins was charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, REAP, Possession of an Instrument of Crime, Disorderly Conduct, and Harassment. She was committed to CCP in lieu of $50,000 cash bail. While awaiting transport to the prison, Riggins reportedly became combative in the holding cell, suffering unknown type injuries, and was subsequently transported to CCH for treatment.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 20 in front of Downingtown District Judge Rita Arnold (15-2-06, CR-0000335-09)…
A Berks County man faces assault charges after an incident with his girlfriend early Saturday evening.
At 18:44 last night, Ofcs. Patrick Ehmann and Ben Martin of the East Pikeland Police responded to the corner of Church and Chestnut Streets in Spring City Borough for a report of a man who claimed that his girlfriend has assaulted him in her parent's residence on the 600 block of Wall Street in East Pikeland. Upon arrival, Wesley Darren Cross, 22, of the Greentree Building, Douglassville, Berks County, reportedly said that his girlfriend had begun to cut herself about the arms and legs with a razor, according to the criminal complaint. At some point, Cross alleged, the woman had sprayed mace at him. He claimed that he was sprayed in the face, then explained that the brunt of the spray missed his face and some of the mist got into his eyes. Cross then left the residence after the victim refused to transport him back to his house in Berks County.
Cross allegedly told police that he walked into Spring City, where he called 9-1-1 from a good samaritan's residence. Cross' shirt was wet, which he claimed was from the sweat on his shirt, with no indication that he had been maced.
Officers then made contact with the woman, who claimed that Cross had put his hands on her. The two had been involved in a verbal argument during the course of the day, when it eventually escalated into a physical domestic after Cross allegedly had "aggressively put his hands around the victim's neck" after the victim told Cross to leave; he reportedly refused, claiming that he was not leaving until his mother arrived to pick him up.
The victim was scared and "thought that is she began to cut herself, it would scare Cross and make him stop," the complaint noted. She claimed that she had "cut herself on the left forearm with a broken piece of glass." Police were unable to locate the glass, however, "a fresh scrape was apparent on the victim's forearm." When she attempted to leave, Cross reportedly grabbed her by the back of the hair and pulled her to the ground. Cross eventually left the home, however the victim didn't immediately call police to report the incident. Officers noticed evident bruises and redness around the victim's neck.
Cross is currently on probation for a similar incident in Montgomery County last year.
On October 3, 2008, Royersford Police responded to a report of a domestic in which Cross was charged with Simple Assault, REAP, Disorderly Conduct, and Harassment.
While awaiting trial on the October charges, Cross was again arrested by Royersford Police on November 18, 2008, and charged with Simple Assault, Harassment, and Disorderly Conduct. In what seemed to be an incredible lack of judgement normally seen on Union Street or in Kennett, Limerick District Judge Walter Gadzicki released Cross on $20,000 unsecured bail. On November 24, 2008, Cross waived his preliminary hearing on the charges from the October incident; as part of the agreement, Cross pled guilty to a summary count of Harassment relating to the November arrest (38-1-19, CR-000643-08).
On February 9, a Montgomery County judge issued a bench warrant for Cross' arrest after he failed to appear for a court date. A few days later, Cross' unsecured bail was reinstated. On April 15, Cross pled guilty to Simple Assault in front of Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Rogers, and was placed on two years probation (CP-46-CR-0009175-2008).
On the new charges, Cross was charged with Unlawful Restraint, REAP, and Simple Assault. He was committed to CCP after failing to post 10 percent of $15,000 bail; a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday in front of Phoenixville District Judge Ted Michaels (15-2-01, CR-0000227-09).
