Pennsylvania State Troopers Association (PSTA) President David Kennedy today condemned the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for dropping a charge of attempted homicide against a driver who allegedly ran over a state trooper twice after they found her passed out on Interstate 76 early Sunday morning.
After consulting with the Philadelphia Charging Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, state police charged the driver with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, fleeing and eluding and other related charges. Without informing state police, the district attorney’s office later dropped the attempted homicide charge.
“Apparently, allegedly trying to kill a state trooper with your car is no longer a serious offense in Philadelphia,” said PSTA President David Kennedy. “At a time when this district attorney should be sending a clear message that violence won’t be tolerated, his office secretly dropped the attempted homicide charge and released the alleged perpetrator after she posted a measly $5,000 bond. If a person is willing to run over a law enforcement officer, they won’t think twice about doing it an average citizen.”
At about 4:25 am, troopers encountered a disabled vehicle on the actual highway in the right lane of Interstate 76 at mile marker 342. The operator was observed to be passed out behind the wheel. Troopers were able to rouse the alleged perpetrator, but the person refused to follow commands to exit the vehicle and appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. As a trooper was walking around the vehicle, the person intentionally hit the trooper with the vehicle. A trooper again ordered the person to stop, but the person reversed their car before driving forward again into the trooper and fleeing the scene. The trooper was transported to Roxboro Memorial Hospital for evaluation after sustaining a hand laceration. The alleged perpetrator was later arrested by state police in Montgomery County.