A car fire that occurred in the Scenic View Apartments near Lower Saucon Township May 14 remains under investigation, although authorities have so far released little information about it.
A photo of the car that burned in the Scenic View Apartments May 14 appears to show racial and homophobic epithets spray-painted on it (Contributed Photo).
A photo of the burned car taken by a Saucon Source reader shortly after the incident appears to show its driver’s side windows smashed and what appear to be two epithets–one racial and one referring to sexual orientation–spray-painted on the side of the vehicle.
Whether the fire is being investigated as a possible arson, a possible hate crime–or both–is unknown.
The secluded complex off Flint Hill Road is bisected by the Northampton-Bucks County line, and the fire was on the Bucks County side, in Springfield Township.
Springfield Township Police Chief Michael A. McDonald confirmed the fire and his department’s response to it in a May 20 email, but deferred further comment about the investigation to Pennsylvania State Police.
“At their request, the investigation of the fire as well as any crimes associated with it was handed over to the State Police Fire Marshal out of Dublin,” McDonald said.
As of Friday, PSP Fire Marshal Cpl. William Brett had not responded to a Saucon Source phone message seeking comment about the investigation into the incident.
A resident of the complex who did not want to be named said the incident has unnerved the community and left many looking for answers about what happened.
There was a significant response by local police and area fire departments on the night of the incident, and Scenic View Lane–the road into the complex–was temporarily closed while the blaze was extinguished, the resident said.
Anyone with information about the incident should contact Pennsylvania State Police at Dublin at 215-249-9191.