Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Cops: Driver charged for providing false ID
NORTH COVENTRY » Police have charged a man after he allegedly provided police with his brother’s information during a traffic stop.
According to a post by North Coventry Police, Larry James Shenk, 29, has been charged after officers say he was driving 31 mph over the speed limit and then used his brother’s information when stopped by police.
North Coventry Police were participating in a departmental Pennsylvania Aggressive Driver speed enforcement detail on Route 422 west at South Keim Street on Aug. 2 when they were directed to a blue 2017 Chevrolet at around 8:45 p.m. Officers were advised that the Chevrolet was traveling 71 mph in the posted 40 mph zone.
Police stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver. The driver told officers that he did not have his driver’s license on him and identified himself as Matthew Shenk, providing a date of birth and home address. Police located a Pennsylvania driver’s license for the name and date of birth provided by the driver and issued a traffic citation.
On Sept. 26, police attended the summary traffic hearing for Matthew Shenk at District Court. Prior to the hearing, officers spoke with Matthew Shenk about the traffic citation that was issued. Police said Shenk told them that he was not the driver of the 2017 Chevrolet at the time of the stop and that his brother, Larry James Shenk, drives the 2017 Chevrolet. Police then withdrew the traffic citation in front of District Justice Judge Brown.
Police then ran Larry Shenk’s driver’s license and found that it was suspended. Police viewed his license photo and confirmed Larry Shenk as the driver of the 2017 Chevrolet on Aug. 2, police said.
On Sept. 30, police spoke with Larry Shenk, who stated that on the night of the traffic stop he gave police his brother’s personal information because he did not have his identification with him and that his license was suspended. The defendant said that he was scared and did not know what was going to happen to him at the time of the stop.
Larry Shenk was charged with false identification to law enforcement, maximum speed limits and driving while operating privilege is suspended.