The entrance to South Mountain Park on E. University Avenue in Lower Saucon Township
An 18-year-old Bethlehem man will be charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and other charges, Lower Saucon Township Police say, as a result of an incident in which he allegedly drove over an officer’s foot as he fled from South Mountain Park early Friday morning.
In a news release issued Saturday, police said Dylan Karba, of the 1900 block of Sixth Street, was in the company of two 17-year-old girls when officers approached them for trespassing in the park at 1500 E. University Avenue shortly before 3 a.m.
The trio was standing next to a blue Chevy Camaro with a broken rear window and when an officer approached them one of the girls wouldn’t turn around to face to him, police said.
“The officer walked around her and observed her holding a plastic bag that contained a glass container with green/brown vegetable manner,” police said, adding that “the officer was able to determine that item was marijuana through his experience and training.”
It later field-tested positive as marijuana, police noted.
After the marijuana was identified, police said one of the girls began to have an anxiety attack, and while officers were tending to her, Karba jumped into the car, locked the doors and started the engine as an officer was trying to open a door.
“Dylan put the vehicle in drive and ran over that officer’s foot,” police said. “Dylan then spun the vehicle in a circular motion around the officers…(who) protected the two juvenile females as the vehicle jumped the curb and fled.”
Although not currently in custody, police said a warrant is being obtained for Karba’s arrest, and that he will also be charged with corruption of minors.
One of the two girls will also be charged with possession of marijuana, police said.
It was not clear if the officer whose foot was run over suffered any injuries.
