A routine drive home turned into a highway nightmare for a family heading back to North Carolina, when phony cops allegedly staged a violent traffic stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and shot the minivan’s driver in the chest. The woman in the vehicle and their 3-year-old child were not physically hurt. State police say the family had about $49,000 in cash with them. Troopers announced arrests this week tied to the March 28 incident and say the case is still very much active.
According to 6abc, the confrontation started in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood before spilling onto the Turnpike around 7:30 p.m. near mile marker 324.9 in Tredyffrin Township. Investigators say two men in a black Chevrolet Suburban flipped on red-and-blue emergency-style lights, walked up to the minivan and demanded ID. When the victims pushed back, asked for badge numbers and started dialing 911, one suspect allegedly opened fire. As the minivan sped off, police say at least five more rounds were pumped into the vehicle before the attackers took off.
How Investigators Say They Tracked the Suspects
State police say the break in the case came from technology and a bit of luck. Troopers told CBS Philadelphia they used dash-camera video from an off-duty detective along with automated license-plate reader data to trace the vehicles involved. Investigators allege the black Suburban carried the emergency-style lights while a second vehicle followed behind as backup. Officials have not released a full update on the wounded driver’s condition.
Who Is Charged and What They Are Facing
Court records and local reporting name 51-year-old Roberto Morel and 38-year-old Terrell Adams as the two suspects taken into custody. Both men are facing a long list of charges, including first-degree attempted murder, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping to facilitate a felony and impersonating a public servant, according to Patch. Patch reports that each was denied bail at arraignment and is being held at Chester County Prison, with preliminary hearings set for April 30. A third suspect, 21-year-old Tuften Green, remains wanted and is also facing murder-related counts in the case.
Questions About Motive and a Push for Tips
Investigators have not publicly laid out how the suspects allegedly knew the family was carrying a large sum of cash. Police say one of the suspects is related to the woman who provided the family with the money, according to 6abc.
Anyone with information on Green’s whereabouts or who has video of the incident is urged to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Embreeville Station at 610-486-6280, as noted by WGAL. State police say the investigation is ongoing and are pressing potential witnesses to come forward.
