Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Man drove stolen car into police vehicle
Shot by officer following chase in Chester County
A man who led police on a chase in a stolen car was shot by a police officer early Wednesday morning in Caln Township.
The incident began on Feb. 22 at 1:54 a.m., when police received information about a stolen vehicle that was located at the Wawa in Downingtown Borough. Later, the suspect, later identified as Richard Luminello, 56, of Houtzdale, Clearfield County, who had been driving the stolen vehicle, stole another car that was parked at the Wawa police said. Caln police officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but he refused to stop and fled into a residential neighborhood.
A Caln Township police officer stopped at the intersection of Westerham and Shelburne Road with the intent to deploy stop strips to immobilize the vehicle. As the police officer was retrieving the stop strips from his vehicle, the suspect then crashed into the marked police vehicle head-on at a high rate of speed, forcing the police car backward approximately 40 yards.
The officer, who was positioned behind his police vehicle, had to dive out of the way to avoid impact as he saw Luminello driving directly at him.
The officer was showered with debris from the impact.
Luminello’s vehicle eventually came to rest approximately 50 yards away from the impact. The suspect got out of the stolen vehicle and began walking away from the officers as they approached. The officers repeatedly shouted commands at the suspect. The officers approached within 15 feet of Luminello when he stopped, turned to face the officers, reached his hand behind his back, quickly raised his hands clutched together while pointing toward the officers and stated, “I’ll shoot.”
One of the Caln officers fired four
shots from a department-issued firearm, striking Luminello in the right leg. The suspect fell to the ground.
After being shot, the suspect stood up and refused to follow directions from the officers on scene. Luminello continued to indicate to officers that he was looking for his gun. He made additional motions toward the officers, acting as if he had a firearm. The officers, now within arm’s length of the suspect, recognized that he was not holding a firearm and attempted to de-escalate the situation. The suspect made his way to the passenger door of the stolen car and opened it. One of the officers deployed a taser and brought the suspect under control and he was handcuffed.
Luminello was transported to Paoli Hospital and treated for a single gunshot wound to the thigh and an elbow fracture.
Luminello was treated and released from Paoli Hospital and immediately taken into custody by Caln Township police officers. He is being charged with attempted criminal homicide of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, vehicle theft and receiving stolen property; fleeing and eluding police; resisting arrest; possession of instruments of a crime; and other related offenses.
Police said Luminello is also wanted on outstanding state parole violations. He was transported to Central Booking at Chester County Prison and is awaiting arraignment.