MAN WANTED FOR ASSAULT FALLS RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE POLICE

Pennsylvania Suspect Falls Through Ceiling During Escape Attempt

By Joseph Kohut

The Scranton Times-Tribune
December 8, 2017

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania -- A 29-year-old Scranton man on the run for assault tried to get away from officers Sunday by fleeing through a crawl space in his girlfriend’s home, only to plunge through the kitchen ceiling into police custody, city police said.

Justin Thompson, 1259 Bryn Mawr St., faces a felony count of endangering the welfare of children because his fall through the ceiling came within a few feet of children, according to a criminal complaint filed by Patrolman Joseph Janczak. Thompson also is charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and recklessly endangering another person.

City police also charged Thompson’s 26-year-old girlfriend, Shaolin Miller, same address, with a felony count of hindering apprehension, according to a separate complaint.

Officers wanted Thompson on a warrant filed Wednesday for aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment for an incident in September, according to a court docket.

Their search for Thompson led police to the Bryn Mawr Street home Sunday. Miller allowed them to search her home, and Sgt. Joseph Dombroski found a crawl space on the third floor with a footprint in the dust.

There, they found Thompson. Police tried to arrest him and grabbed his shirt. He backed out of his shirt and moved deeper into the crawl space.

In the kitchen with Miller, Patrolman Steven Lavin heard noise above him. Thompson fell through the ceiling right in front of him.

Magisterial District Judge Sean P. McGraw arraigned Thompson on both sets of charges and set bail at $20,000. Preliminary hearings on the charges are scheduled for Monday.

McGraw released Miller on $5,000 unsecured bail and set a preliminary hearing date for Monday as well.