By Pattie Price
A former employee of Marple Newtown School District was held for an Oct. 18 arraignment in Common Pleas Court during a hearing Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Dave Lang.
Theodore Townsend, 24, of Carneys Point, NJ is facing charges of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, unauthorized use of a truck, and drivers required to be licensed. The charges stem from an incident 4:34p.m., June 22, at Paxon Hollow Middle School.
According to the affidavit, Marple Officer Chris Barmes responded to investigate a report of a stolen white 2011 Ford F350 pick up truck. The truck was locked in the maintenance garage. Printed on both doors of the truck was “Marple Newtown School District.” In the bed of the truck was a 100 gallon mounted gas tank. The truck is valued at $35,000.
About an hour after the initial report, police received another call from a district employee who was following the stolen truck on Paxon Hollow Road. The employee was accompanied by the school district facilities manager. The employees said they recognized Townsend as the driver. They were unable to keep up with Townsend because he was operating the truck recklessly.
Minutes later, Marple Officer Sean Hannigan spotted the truck on Paxon Hollow Road and followed Townsend to the rear of the school where he was apprehended.
Townsend’s female passenger told police that he picked her up at her Lawrence Park home in the truck and they drove to a friend’s house in Drexel Hill. She said they left the Drexel Hill home and intended to pick up dinner and go back to her house. The woman also said that Townsend covered the lettering on the truck with paper and blue tape.
School officials said Townsend did not have permission to take the truck for personal use and a check of his license revealed it expired June 24, 2008.
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Matthew Thomas, 27, of Marple, waived a hearing on the charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief. The charges stem from two burglaries May 28 and Sept. 10, at Express Auto Wash, 3046 West Chester Pike.
According to the affidavit, Marple Detective Barry Williams investigated a report of a burglary. It was discovered the actor entered through a rear door, entered the office area and pried open a safe. The safe contained keys to the outside units where customers enter cash for a car wash. The suspect removed at least $600.
Williams said a similar burglary occurred May 28 when $1,600 was discovered stolen.
While viewing the business’ security cameras for Sept. 10, they show Thomas – an ex-employee – enter the business and using the stolen keys to steal cash from the customer machines. He is last seen walking onto Evergreen Avenue.
Williams learned that Thomas was fired from his job in mid-May.
Williams and Marple Officer Mike Rush went to Thomas’ apartment and seized two bags of heroin from Thomas’ pants pocket. Thomas admitted he was a heroin addict and wanted to cooperate with police. Thomas led police to the location on Evergreen Avenue where he threw the stolen keys which were recovered along with a pair of gloves that he used. He also showed police where he hid the clothing he was wearing during the burglar.
Thomas admitted to both burglaries and stated he did the first one because he was angry at being fired and the second one because he had no cash and needed heroin.
Thomas is scheduled for an Oct. 18 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Lelia Austin, 58, of Marple, waived a hearing on the charge of DUI of a blood alcohol level of .16 or higher. In exchange for the waiver the summary charges of careless driving and driving on roadways laned for traffic were withdrawn. The charges stem from an incident 2:02p.m., April 29, in the 700 block of Old Marple Road.
According to the affidavit, Marple Officer Ed Hanna saw a silver Toyota fail to negotiate a turn on Old Sproul Road causing another driver travelling in the opposite direction, to almost go into a ditch. Hanna stopped the vehicle, operated by Ms. Austin.
Ms. Austin had a strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, extremely bloodshot eyes, was staggering and swaying, and said she was on her way home from an AA meeting.
Marple Officer Ray Stiles conducted a preliminary breath test that revealed a blood alcohol level of .212 percent. She was transported to Springfield Hospital for a blood test.
Ms. Austin was released and is scheduled for an Oct. 18 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Stephen Hopkins, 62, of Marple, waived a hearing on the charges of DUI and careless driving following an accident 6:48p.m., Aug. 16, at Cedar Grove and Newtown Street roads.
According to the affidavit, Marple Officer Greg Desimone responded to an accident and was met my Newtown Officer Joe Vandegrift, who was the first to arrive at the accident.
Hopkins had an odor of alcohol, bloodshot glassy eyes, was unsteady on his feet and failed field sobriety tests. He was transported to Springfield Hospital for a blood test.
Hopkins told police that he consumed one beer prior to the accident.
Hopkins was released and is scheduled for an Oct. 18 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Valerie Martinie-Mulholland, 45, of Marple, was held for an Oct. 18 arraignment in Common Pleas Court on the charges of DUI and two counts of criminal mischief. The charges stem from a domestic altercation 12:01a.m., July 15, at the Evergreen Club Apartments, 3041 West Chester Pike.
According to the affidavit, Marple Officer Sean Hannigan responded to a report of a domestic altercation. Mulholland’s husband said he and his wife had been drinking and she was intoxicated when an argument ensued. He said she became enraged and took her belongings and bedding and got into her Jeep Cherokee. She then rammed into her husband’s truck several times, which caused leaking from her car. Police followed the trail to a home on Rockhill Road and located Mrs. Mulholland. She had an odor of alcohol and was transported to Springfield Hospital for a blood test.
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Charges of receiving stolen property and retail theft were withdrawn against Donald DiFilippo, 43, of Drexel Hill, for an incident 9 p.m., Aug. 25, at Walmart, 400 S. State Road.
In exchange for withdrawing the charges, DiFilippo plead guilty to a summary retail theft and was fined and ordered to pay court costs.
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Charges of simple assault and criminal mischief were withdrawn against Kyungduk Kim, 51, of Marple. The charges stemmed from a domestic dispute 6:10 p.m., June 6, in the 2600 block of Springfield Road.
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The charge of burglary was withdrawn against Byron Dees, 20, of Philadelphia for an incident 3:18a.m., July 15, in the 100 block of Laurel Lane.
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A warrant was issued for Scott McDermott, 37, of Marcus Hook, when he failed to appear for a hearing on the charges of theft of services stemming from an incident 10 a.m., July 2, at AJON, 719 Old Marple Road.
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A warrant was issued for Shaliyah Cole, 33, of Philadelphia when she failed to appear for a hearing on the charges of theft of leased property and receiving stolen property. The charges stem from an incident July 3, when she was supposed to return a borrowed laptop to officials at Delaware County Community College, 901 S. Media Line Road.
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