Four charged after crash of stolen van
MOUNT CARMEL - Police have charged four people as the result of a crash of a stolen vehicle at Fourth and Vine streets on Aug. 9.
Sgt. Todd Owens filed criminal charges against Maurice R. Carr, 18, of Lebanon, a 17-year-old male from Mount Carmel, a 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, both from Lebanon, borough police announced Thursday.
The charges stem from an incident that started about 20 minutes prior to the crash. A borough resident had reported to police that a number of suspicious people were standing around a minivan near a property he owns in the 200 block of South Pear Street near Fifth Street. He asked the youths to move the van so he could access the property he owns, and they started to harass the man, Chief Brian L. Shurock had previously reported.
The victim got inside his vehicle and began to write down the van's license plate number, but one of the youths reached inside the vehicle and took the man's tablet, Shurock said. When the resident, who police did not name, exited his vehicle, the suspects fled, some in the van.
A short time later, the minivan crashed, and four individuals fled in different directions.
Owens and Patrolman Anthony Galla would discover the van was stolen, and police from other communities were called to join in the pursuit.
Three of the four people from the van were quickly apprehended, the chief said, while two others related to the first incident and the crash were taken into custody at a home at 34 S. Fifth St.
Police discovered that not only was the van stolen, but that the license plate on it was stolen from a different vehicle.
Carr and the two 17-year-olds were charged by police with felony counts of criminal conspiracy related to receiving stolen property, two counts of receiving stolen property and a charge of flight to avoid apprehension, along with misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and recklessly endangering another person. Carr was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property.
The 16-year-old was charged with felony counts of robbery, criminal conspiracy to receive stolen property and two counts of receiving stolen property, two misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property and single counts of resisting arrest and recklessly endangering another person.
Carr's charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones of Mount Carmel, while the others were charged through Northumberland County Juvenile Court Services.
Other investigations
According to Shurock, several Lebanon County law enforcement agencies are still investigating the motor vehicle thefts and the thefts of property from motor vehicles in their jurisdictions. They are also investigating with Mount Carmel police an incident from July 22 in the 300 block of South Turnpike Street, when a vehicle stolen from Lebanon County was recovered after a crash. In that case, the suspects fled and were not captured. The investigation is pending checks of fingerprints obtained from the vehicles and property.
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