Police: Plainfield Man Concealed Motorcycle Crash that Injured Child

A motorcyclist with a suspended license and riding with a 13-year-old boy crashed his bike near his home Thursday night but did not call police or get medical help for the boy, who suffered a lacerated spleen, court records say.

In addition, the suspect, Shawn Albert Meyers, 39, of Plainfield Township, told the boy to walk home despite his injuries and tried to remove the cycle from the crash scene and conceal it so police would not be called, the records say.

Meyers, who later admitted to operating the cycle and being in the crash, is considered a “habitual offender” because his driver’s license was suspended in connection with a previous DUI incident and is listed as being on “state parole.”

Also, the boy was not wearing a helmet -- a violation of the law.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Patrolman Scott Zabriskie:

Meyers lost control of the motorcycle -- a blue Suzuki that the records list as both a 1982 and 1992 model -- around 9 p.m. Thursday on the 900 block of Glass Street (Meyers’ address is 971 Glass St.). The cycle struck a fence and garbage cans.

After the crash, the boy complained of pain in his shoulder, had visible cuts and road rash, and said he felt like he was going to pass out.

Meyers told the boy to walk home and Meyers followed him. He then got on an all-terrain vehicle with a trailer and went back to the crash scene to retrieve the cycle. He then “concealed” the cycle in his garage and left the boy at the residence.

Police tried to locate Meyers the night of the crash but failed. An EMS unit eventually was called, but the boy and his mother said they would be responsible for taking the boy to a hospital.

On Saturday, the boy’s mother told Zabriskie her son had suffered a lacerated spleen and was taken from Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg to an unnamed trauma center, where he was admitted.

Also on Saturday, Meyers came to Plainfield police headquarters, where police read him his Miranda rights. He admitted to operating the cycle and being in the crash.

Meyers is facing a long list of charges:

Accidents involving death or personal injury, endangering the welfare of children, habitual offenders, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, tamper with/fabricate physical evidence, driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked – DUI related, operating vehicle without financial responsibility, registration and certificate of title required.

Also, operation of vehicle without an official certificate of inspection, duty to give information and render aid, accident involving damage to unattended vehicle, immediate notice of accident to police department and careless driving.

He was arraigned at 10 p.m. Saturday by on-duty District Judge Todd Strohe of Bangor and committed to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $20,000 bail.