An Aston Township police officer was injured Friday night after a driver who initially pulled over for a traffic stop drove away, only for his vehicle to roll backward into the officer's parked cruiser as he was climbing out. The officer's arm was pinned between the door and the door frame before he was taken to a hospital for treatment.
According to Delco Times, police first observed the driver committing traffic infractions and attempted to stop his vehicle at about 10:43 p.m. on September 25 in the 5000 block of Pennell Road. The driver initially complied and pulled over, but drove away as an officer approached, according to the same report. Officers later spotted the vehicle near Neumann University, near Convent and Concord Roads, before the car rolled back into the parked cruiser.
Aston Detective Sgt. Mike Ruggeri said the officer was in the process of getting out of the vehicle when it was struck, per the outlet's account. Police arrested the driver, identified as 18-year-old Noah A. Johnson of Philadelphia, in connection with the incident.
Felony Charges Filed Against Philadelphia Teen
Johnson was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, fleeing police, and related traffic infractions, the Delco Times report states. Under Pennsylvania law, aggravated assault against a police officer performing official duties is classified as a felony carrying potential penalties of up to 10 or 20 years in state prison, depending on whether bodily injury or serious bodily injury is charged, according to DiCindio Law.
The fleeing charge carries its own statutory weight. Fleeing or attempting to elude a pursuing officer after being signaled to stop is generally graded as a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a mandatory $500 fine, though it can escalate to a third-degree felony if high speeds or endangerment are involved, per Goldstein Mehta LLC. Separately, Pennsylvania's Act 95 of 2022 amended state law to impose upgraded felony charges when an officer or bystander suffers serious bodily injury as a direct result of an evasion attempt, according to Justia Law.
Bail Set at $150,000, Suspect Held Without Release
Bail was set at 10% of $150,000 by Andrew Goldberg, meaning Johnson would need to post a $15,000 cash deposit to secure his release. He was unable to post that bail and was instead taken to Delaware County Prison, the same report notes.
Delaware County Prison is officially known as the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Thornton, and it serves as the county's primary detention center for pre-trial defendants unable to post bail. The facility was Pennsylvania's only privately operated county jail until it was returned to public county control in 2022, according to WHYY. Hoodline reported earlier this month on a guard's guilty plea to smuggling drugs into the same facility.
Johnson is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 14 before Judge Diane M. Holefelder. That hearing will take place at Magisterial District Court 32-2-38 in Aston, which holds jurisdiction over preliminary arraignments, bail determinations, and preliminary hearings for Aston Township and surrounding election districts, according to Fienman Defense.
A Stretch of Pennell Road Next to Neumann's Campus
The incident unfolded in the 5000 block of Pennell Road, near Neumann University, a private Franciscan university founded in 1965 with roughly 2,500 enrolled students, according to Schuster Law. Pennell Road serves as the main north-south commercial and transit corridor through Aston Township. The Aston Township Police Department, which conducted the stop and arrest, is led by Chief Daniel Ruggieri and consists of roughly 20 full-time sworn officers serving the Delaware County township, per the department's own materials.
A Traffic-Stop Evasion in Aston Township
The Aston incident involved a driver who initially stopped for police but then drove away, before his vehicle rolled into a cruiser.
