2 BUSTED IN ATTACK ON A COP
MAN, WOMAN IN CHESTER TOWNSHIP FACE CHARGES OF ASSAULTING OFFICER
CHESTER TOWNSHIP » A vehicle tow allegedly escalated into an assault against two township police officers, one of whom “was losing his breath” when a man put his arm against the officer’s neck and applied pressure for about 15 seconds, according to authorities and court documents.
Neither of the officers required medical attention following the March 5 incident, which resulted in the arrest of a combative Toby Farms couple on their twin children’s first birthday, township Police Chief Kenneth Coalson said.
Tahem A. Savoy, 42, and Chanel Laniece Young, 36, both of the same residence in the 3800 block of Powell Road, are listed to appear Thursday for a preliminary hearing in Brookhaven District Court.
Savoy is charged with attempted homicide and strangulation, according to online court records. Both Savoy and Young are charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault, harassment, obstructing justice, resisting arrest and criminal mischief.
The couple is also charged with endangering the welfare of children.
“When they ran out to fight with police, they left their two young children unattended in the house,” Coalson said. “The children are 1-year-old twins, and it was their birthday when we locked up their parents.”
According to the probable cause affidavit, township Police Cpl. Joseph Hughes was working on March 5 when he received a complaint about an abandoned vehicle on the street in front of a residence in the 3800 block of Powell Road, shortly after 1:30 p.m.
Patrolman Ray Lare arrived on scene and saw the white Nissan Altima. The vehicle had a cracked windshield, a flat tire and a Pennsylvania registration that expired in June 2017.
“Due to the vehicle being unregistered and a safety hazard, Patrolman Lare did dispatch Twin Oaks Towing to have the vehicle removed from the public roadway,” states the affidavit, which was authored by Hughes and based on information provided by Lare and fellow Officer Michael Zgleszewski.
According to the affidavit, Lare was waiting for the tow truck to arrive when he saw a man, identified as Savoy, attempt to enter the house in front of which the vehicle was parked. The officer asked Savoy if he owned the Nissan, to which Savoy said it belonged to his girlfriend, identified as Young.
When Lare informed Savoy that the vehicle was going to be towed, Savoy said to the officer, “Hold on, let me go get her,” the affidavit states. Savoy then entered the house. About five minutes later, Young came outside.
“Young opened the hood of the Nissan Altima and attempted to jump start the vehicle; however was unsuccessful,” the affidavit states.
When the tow truck arrived a few minutes later, Lare told the driver to tow the Nissan. The driver then backed the tow truck up to the vehicle. As the driver began to position the flat bed of the tow truck to tow the Nissan, “Young stood in between the Nissan Altima and the tow truck,” the affi- davit states.
Lare ordered Young to step away from the vehicles several times, but according to the affidavit she failed to comply.
As the tow truck driver began to hook to the chains up to the undercar- riage of the Nissan, the af- fidavit states, “Young then crawled under the vehicle and attempted to remove the chains.”
Lare then approached Young, placed her under arrest and told her to place her hands behind her back.
Lare indicated that he grabbed Young while she was getting up and when she stood up, she pushed him and began struggling with him.
“Young was able to break free from him and ran into the front yard” of her res- idence, the affidavit states.
“Lare did follow Young into the front yard and was able to grab her,” the affidavit states. “At that time, Young threw herself to the ground.”
According to the affidavit, Young fell to the ground “with her hands interlocked … and … lying on top of her hands.”
A struggle allegedly ensued between Young and Lare.
“Young continued to resist and would not separate her hands,” the affidavit states. After struggling with her for several minutes, Lare used pepper spray on Young in an attempt to subdue her, but the spray was ineffective and she reportedly continued to resist arrest.
According to the affidavit, Lare was on the ground struggling with Young when he felt “someone” put their arm around his neck. That individual was identified as Savoy.
“Savoy began to apply pressure with the arm around his neck to the point Patrolman Lare was having difficulty breathing,” the affidavit states. “Savoy applied pressure to (Lare’s) neck for approximately 15 seconds.”
Zgleszewski was also on the scene with Lare. According to the affidavit, he stated that while Lare was attempting to place Young into custody, Savoy got between Lare and Young and pushed Lare, according to the affidavit. At that time, Zgleszewski told Savoy that he was under arrest – but Savoy resisted.
“Zgleszewski grabbed Savoy’s left arm and placed a handcuff on his left wrist,” but Savoy continued to pull away and placed his right arm around Lare’s neck as Lare was struggling with Young, the affidavit states.
Zgleszewski pulled Savoy’s right arm from around Lare’s neck and was able to pull Savoy away from Lare, the affidavit states. But Savoy continued to resist arrest and Zgleszewski deployed his pepper spray, the affidavit states.
Savoy continued to resist arrest but was eventually placed in the rear of a patrol vehicle. After placing Savoy in the patrol vehicle, Zgleszewski then assisted Lare, who was still struggling with Young.
Zgleszewski “grabbed Young’s left arm and placed it behind her back,” the affidavit states. “Young was able to pull away and interlock her hands again.”
Officers continued to struggle with Young, but she was eventually taken into custody as well.
When Hughes arrived on scene, he saw officers escorting Young into the police vehicle.
He saw Young “resisting and refusing to get into the vehicle, the affidavit states. “After a brief struggle, Young was placed into the rear of the patrol vehicle and transported to headquarters.”
According to online court records, Savoy remains in custody at the county prison in lieu of bail, which was set at 10 percent of $350,000. Young is free on 10 percent of $25,000 bail, which was posted on March 6.
It was not immediately known if Savoy and Young had retained attorneys.