The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office is always concerned about the negative impact of bad checks passed to local businesses. Millions of dollars are lost every year by merchants as a result of this ongoing problem. Bad checks affect everyone in terms of higher consumer costs that must be passed on to offset losses, and increased taxes to cover the additional costs for law enforcement and prosecution.

In an effort to combat this problem, the Bad Check Restitution Program has been organized to assist local merchants with bad check losses. The primary goal of the program is to obtain full restitution for the victim without adding to the financial burden of the criminal justice system.

First time bad check offenders are given the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution by attending a mandatory intervention class, in addition to paying restitution. All of this is accomplished without any cost to the taxpayers.

For more information or to file a claim: checkprogram.com/dauphincountypa

June 12, 2009: Aggravated Assault

On June 15, 2009, the Lower Swatara Township Police were dispatched to the area of the Hollywood Motel located at 155 Richardson Road, Middletown, Pa. on a reported assault involving a knife. Officers arrived and spoke to occupants of a vehicle. They were traveling on Richardson toward Eisenhower Blvd. near the Hollywood Motel when a white male was walking in the middle of the street. The driver swerved to the left to avoid striking the pedestrian. .

Words were exchanged among them which resulted in a confrontation between the passenger and the pedestrian. The pedestrian produced a knife and made threats toward the passenger who remained inside their vehicle. The victim also was struck in the forehead by the suspect’s hand At this point the pedestrian walked away toward the Hollywood Motel..

Officers made contact with the suspect who identified himself to be Christopher Williams. Williams was arrested for aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering. During the booking process it was revealed that Williams gave a false name and was subsequently arrested for false reports to law enforcement.  His real name is Brian H. Williams. This person was arraigned before a night court district magistrate and released on $5,000.00 unsecured bail.

 May 19, 2009: Unresponsive Child

On May 19, 2009 the Lower Swatara Township Police responded to the 1800 block of Georgetown Road at 6:09 am on a reported unknown problem. Upon arrival they discovered an unresponsive child. Officers performed CPR until arrival of emergency medical personnel. The victim was transported by ambulance to the Penn State University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department is investigating this incident and is an ongoing investigation.

Further inquires at this time should be directed to the Dauphin County Coroners Office.  

WANTED PERSON 

CAPTURED     

On April 1, 2009 at 4:30 am Lower Swatara Township Police along with several neighboring police Departments were dispatched to the Hollywood Motel located at 155 Richardson Road, Middletown (Lower Swatara Twp.) on a report of several males attempting to break into a motel room.

Officers observed several people in and around the motel and began to investigate. During their investigation a black male was questioned by police and his identification became questionable. Officers began to further identify this person and while conducting this, the suspect fled from officers on foot.

He was described to be 5’11” and weighing 160 to 170 lbs, thin build and had noticeable tattoos on both sides of his neck. The suspect ran and was eventually stopped by an assisting police officer in the area of Brookside Drive and Richardson Road in which a struggle ensued. The subject resisted and a taser was employed. During this altercation one handcuff was employed but again he broke free and absconded from custody. The officer was uninjured.

A search of the area by multiply police departments along with police K-9 was unsuccessful in apprehension.

The suspect was later identified to be a Dante Day. Warrants will be obtained charging Dante Day with Resisting Arrest, Escape, False Reports and other criminal offenses.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dante Day is urged to contact Lower Swatara Twp Police at 939-0463 or Dauphin County Communications at 558-6900.

February 17, 2009: Scam

A resident received a letter in the mail from an attorney in Spain saying he represented a deceased client with the same last name as our resident and offered to split the money with our resident if he went along with a scam saying he was a relative. Please beware of any mailings or calls you get asking for your bank account information.

December 18, 2008: Robbery (Car Jacking)

On December 18, 2008 at 1045 hours Lower Swatara Township Police were dispatched to the 400 block of Longview Drive for a car jacking. 

The victim reported that a short term male acquaintance asked the victim to drive him to a family member’s home this morning.  After directing the victim to a rural area, the suspect produced a knife and forced the victim out of the car.  The victim was not harmed during the incident and sought help from a nearby home.   

The victim reported the suspect is a white male 5’10” with light brown facial hair, light blue eyes, wearing a red zip up jacket with a blue shirt underneath and a beanie cap. 

The stolen vehicle is a 1996 black Dodge Stratus sedan bearing Pennsylvania registration GHJ3726.  The vehicle has between 20 and 30 bumper stickers on the rear of the vehicle.  The vehicle also has damage to the rear passenger side door.   

The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.  Members of the public should not attempt to apprehend the suspect but should contact their local police.   

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call Lower Swatara Township Police at 717-939-0463 or Dauphin County Dispatch at 717-558-6900.

December 9, 2008: Drug Bust

A routine traffic stop turned into  felony drug charges thanks to Officer Mark Sallada.

July 1, 2008: New Police Cars

You may have already taken notice to the new look of our Police Cars. We are in the process of changing to black and white marked cars.

March 20, 2008: Senior Crime Prevention University

The Lower Swatara Twp Police Department will be hosting “Senior Crime Prevention University” provided by the PA Attorney General’s Office. The date is June 10th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Lower Swatara Township Building (1499 Spring Garden Drive). There is no fee to attend. This program is open to the first twenty five residents that respond. For more information on the program please refer to the Attorney General’s web site at  http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/seniors.aspx?id=533. A registration form will be printed in your Spring 2008 Township Newsletter. No phone calls please.

February 2, 2008 : Fatal Traffic Accident

We are currently investigating a single vehicle traffic accident that occurred on Eisenhower Blvd. in Lower Swatara Township around 10:00 AM on Saturday February 2, 2008. The accident closed down Eisenhower Blvd between Richardson Rd. and Route 230 until 2:00 PM. The victim was identified as Eugene Warner, 45 years of age. The Dauphin County Coroner was called to the scene and took control of the victim’s body and the Dauphin County Accident Reconstruction Team was called in to assist us with the investigation.

January 25, 2008: Hit and Run

We are currently investigating a hit and run accident that occurred on Thursday 01-24-08 around 6:00 p.m.  The accident occurred on West Harrisburg Pike at the Airport Connector.  A grey Nissan sedan was stopped for a red light at the intersection and was rear ended by a black Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, causing moderate damage to the Nissan.  The driver of the Blazer, described as a white male in his 30’s or 40’s.

The white male then got back into his Blazer and left the scene, heading south on the Airport Connector, toward Harrisburg International Airport, possibly toward Middletown Borough.  Both the driver and the passenger of the Nissan did not have any injuries.  A registration of the black Chevrolet S-10 was not able to be obtained. 

The suspect vehicle is a black Chevrolet S-10, newer model, with possibly front end damage to the vehicle.  The driver is described as a white male in his 30’s or 40’s.  The suspect vehicle may possibly be in the Middletown Area.   

If you have any information; please contact the Lower Swatara Township Police Department at (717) 558-6900.

November 4, 2007: Deceased Persons Found

On 11/4/07 at approximately 0510 hours the Lower Swatara Township PD responded to a 911 call with an open line at a residence in the 200 block of Rosedale Avenue. The responding officers did find the two residents deceased inside their home. The residence was processed by the Dauphin County Forensics Team. There is no reason to believe that anybody else was involved in these deaths other than the two persons found inside. 

October 27, 2007: Bank Robbery

On 10/27/07 at approximately 1020hrs the Lower Swatara Twp Police Department responded to a bank robbery at the Mid-Penn Bank on Spring Garden Dr. in Lower Swatara Township. The bank was robbed by 2 males dressed in dark clothing wearing black ski masks. The suspects entered the bank, jumped the counter and ordered the bank employees to give them money from the vault and threatened to kill them if they didn’t comply. There were no weapons displayed by the suspects and the employees were ordered to lie on the ground. The suspects were seen leaving the area in a greenish blue colored sedan possibly a Dodge Intrepid with a “G” and a “4” in the registration. The suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of money and nobody was injured during the incident. The suspects were described as being athletic based on their build and physical actions inside the bank.

October 12, 2007: Bomb Threat / Arrest

On October 12, 2007 the Lower Swatara Township Police made an arrest of a 15 year old male in connection to several bomb threats made at the Middletown Area High School. Since the beginning of the 2007/2008 school year, the High School has experienced bomb threats written on walls of the school. Information from within the student body was instrumental in providing evidence that resulted in today’s arrest. The investigation is still ongoing and is not closed at this time. The juvenile was reprimanded to the Shaffner Youth Detention Center. Charges of Threat to use weapons of Mass Destruction, Terroristic Threats, Recklessly Endangering, Institutional Vandalism, Causing or Risking a Catastrophe and Criminal Mischief were filed.  

October 2, 2007: Bomb Threat at the Middletown High School

On October 1, 2007, at 2:15 PM a student found a note written on a restroom wall indicating a bomb threat at the High School. A search of the entire building was conducted by Police with negative results. The crime scene was processed and interviews were conducted. The investigation is ongoing. On October 2, 2007 the students were evacuated and instructed to leave their bags behind. The school was again searched with seven local bomb dogs. This was a planned search by police and school officials. 

September 20, 2007: WANTED for Bad Checks / Theft By Deception

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department is looking for Patricia Emma Ortiz-Campos last know address was 146 Balls Lane in Middletown. If anyone has any information on the location of Ms. Ortiz-Campus please contact the Department or complete the on-line anonymous tips form located on this web site.

UPDATE to May 7, 2007

As a result of an incident that occurred in September 2006, the Lower Swatara Township Criminal Investigations Unit has obtained an arrest warrant for John R. Field, 31 of Lebanon PA. Field is being charged with Rape, Involuntary Deviate Sex, Indecent Assault, Unlawful Restraint and False Imprisonment stemming from an incident that occurred at the Hollywood Motel. Field will be arraigned on May 24. 2007. Field is accused of other sexual offenses in Susquehanna Township and Lebanon County. These separate cases against Field will all be heard together at the same District Justice venue on June 26, 2007.

May 7, 2007

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department is currently conducting a joint investigation of an alleged sexual assault of an adult female that occurred in 2006 involving John Russell Field. No other information can be released at this time.

April 12, 2007

The Lower Swatara Township Police Department was awarded a grant from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase video surveillance equipment. Congressman Tim Holden (center) presented the check in the amount of $7,400.00 to Sgt. Richard Brandt (left) and Det. Robert Appleby (right) at the Dauphin County Courthouse. Also awarded grants were The Derry Township Police, Lower Paxton Township Police and the Dauphin County Sheriffs Office.

New Vehicle Law in PA: Effective January 29, 2007

All motorists in Pennsylvania MUST turn on their headlights whenever they use their windshield wipers in inclement weather.

The law, Act 159 of 2006, was enacted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell in November 2006.  The new law requires headlights to be on when the vehicle’s windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use because of precipitation or atmospheric moisture, which includes rain, snow, sleet or mist.

State Representative Neal Goodman, D-Schuylkill,  said he believed the new law would greatly increase vehicular safety.  “This is a safety issue more than anything else,” he said. “In potentially treacherous conditions, it’s common sense to make your vehicle as visible as possible. If you are driving down a highway, you are more likely to see a car if its headlights are on.”

Pennsylvania now joins Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia in having a wiper-headlight law.

January 26, 2007: WANTED 

Patricia Emma Ortiz Campos last known address was 146 Balls Lane, Middletown, Pa. She is a W/F age 36 yrs. Warrants for Theft by Deception and Bad Checks

December 21, 2006: PURSE SNATCH

Lower Swatara Township is investigating a purse snatch that occurred in the area of Richardson Rd. and Summit Ridge Rd. on December 20th at approximately 3:30 pm.  An elderly female had her purse stolen.

The victim was walking in the area and was approached by a black male in his teens or early 20′s. He grabbed her purse and fled on foot. He is described to be 6 feet tall with a thin build and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. The victim was not injured.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Lower Swatara Township Police at 939-0463 or you can complete our tip sheet located under our Forms link.

Several families were blessed this Holiday to receive gifts from our Secret Santa this year. The Police Department helped collect and distribute everything from toys to Christmas Dinner. We would like to extend a special thank you to the residents of Lower Swatara that helped us this year. They were a tremendous help!

We wish you all a very safe and happy New Year.