WPD Reports: Suspected DUI Driver Leads Police on Chase

All information is according to official police reports filed at the Whitemarsh Township Police Department. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Suspected DUI/ Psychiatric emergency:
A 46-year-old Philadelphia woman was taken into custody after police say she likely had a psychiatric emergency that they suspect was compounded by the presence of alcohol or drugs.

According to a Whitemarsh Police report, an officer observed a locked, occupied Nissan Stanza in a gravel lot across from the Philadelphia Cricket Club on Saturday, Aug. 11 at approximately 12 a.m. Upon approaching the vehicle, the woman awoke, but appeared to be confused and “staring through” the officer. The woman then ignored a number of commands from the officer, before putting the vehicle into reverse and driving off onto Valley Green Road without her headlines on.

The officer was able to catch up to the vehicle and activate his emergency lights, but called in an additional three cars to join a pursuit after the woman refused to pull over and swerved across the roadway, nearly striking numerous utility poles, the report said.

Finally, the vehicle did pull over at Stenton Avenue and Paper Mill Road, where police approached the vehicle. Again, the woman was unresponsive until officers attempted to access the car by prying the passenger door open with a bar and wedge. At that point, the woman appeared to become agitated and grabbed the bar, speaking incoherently, the report said.

Officers then inserted a second bar, which they said caused the woman to grab both bars and begin to scream obscenities and threats. Police were eventually able to distract the woman and remove her from the vehicle, at which point they were informed by dispatch that she had a prior history of psychological emergencies.

The woman continued to lash out at the officers, who then took her to a mental healthcare facility where she was eventually sedated, the report said.

Due to the woman’s behavior and pupil dilation, police also requested a blood draw for the suspicion of DUI. The woman was left in the care of hospital staff.

Theft of golf shoes:
At approximately 1:19 p.m. on Aug. 7, an unknown male stole a pair of $234 white golf shoes from the Sunnybrook Country Club, police said.

An investigation and video surveillance revealed that a 40 to 50-year-old white male came into the pro shop and asked to try on a pair of shoes, but then exited through the locker room area. The suspect was wearing a dress shirt and dress pants, carried a gray duffel bag, appeared to be talking on a blue tooth, and likely drove away in a new, two-door, silver BMW or Saab.

Fraud:
At approximately 1:40 p.m. on Aug. 8, a resident of Fairfield Drive, Flourtown, reported to police that she had nearly been scammed by an online “Mystery Shopper Service.”

According to the victim, the service prompted her to cash a check from Western Union, keep $200, and send the rest of the money to the Philippines. Upon a second check arriving, the resident believed she was being scammed, and contacted police.

Criminal mischief:
At approximately 8:17 p.m. on Aug. 9, a police found graffiti on the following roadways:

• On Hagy’s Mill Road just off Manor Road
• On an older small, white bridge on Manor Road near Hamilton Drive
• On the bridge on River Road near Harts Lane

Police say the graffiti tags appear to be similar to ones previously reported in the area.

Harassment by communication:
At approximately 2:05 p.m. on Aug. 9, a resident of Cherry Court, Lafayette Hill, told police that she was verbally harassed by an individual who had previously loaned her money.

According to a report, the reporting party told police that the suspect had loaned her money, and that they had worked out a bi-weekly payment plan she was adhering to. However, the reporting party stated that she believed the suspect has a mental illness, and that he had threatened her and her family to pay the money back.

Police were able to contact the suspect and told him to take the issue to civil court, and not to contact the family again.

Slashed tires:
At approximately 8:41 p.m. on Aug. 10, an 81-year-old resident of the 500 block of Butler Pike, Ambler, reported to police that an unknown person had slashed the rear driver side tire of her vehicle sometime overnight. In addition, the air had been let out of the vehicle’s other three tires.

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