Coatesville resident, 18, taken into custody in Downingtown after crash into store
A marked city police vehicle was almost struck on Saturday at 2:06 a.m. by a vehicle that turned out to be stolen from Valley Township in May, reported Coatesville Cpl. Larry Cooper. City officers attempted to stop the vehicle in the area of Seventh Avenue and Lincoln Highway, but the driver led police on a chase that ended in Downingtown, when Gaylynn C.B. Mansfield, 18, of Coatesville fled from the vehicle, which then hit a store, police said.
An assisting K-9 unit helped tracked Mansfield, who was taken into custody several blocks away. Mansfield was held for arraignment and remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post $25,000 cash bail, police said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on charges that include receiving stolen property, fleeing and eluding, reckless endangerment and traffic offenses, court records said.
Police made contact with Harold F. Ford III, 37, of Coatesville, in the area of North Eighth Avenue and Lincoln Highway on Friday at 9:48 p.m., Cpl. Larry Cooper reported. Ford, who was taken into custody on a criminal warrant, was held for arraignment and remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post $50,000 cash bail, police said.
On Saturday at 1 a.m., police were dispatched to a hit-and-run accident at South Fifth Avenue and Olive Street, Officer Chris McCarthy reported. Upon arrival, officers found a vehicle that had been struck, damaged, and pushed onto the curb, and were advised that the striking vehicle fled on South Fifth Avenue toward Maple Avenue, police said. Police said they located a vehicle that was damaged at the rear of a property in the 400 block of Maple Avenue and spoke with several males, one of whom, Leopordo Salinas-Peralta, admitted being the operator who left the scene. Salinas-Peralta was cited for operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, careless driving, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicle or property, and fleeing the scene.
Police made contact with Rodney Gilley, 38, of Coatesville, on Sunday at 10:39 a.m. in the 300 block of East Lincoln Highway, Officer Carmen Mollichella reported. Gilley had a bench warrant for his arrest and was taken into custody on a bench warrant without incident and transported to the police station to await transport by constables, police said.
Police responded to the 400 block of Colina Lane on Sunday at 8:41 a.m. for a stolen-vehicle complaint, Officer Carmen Mollichella reported. Police described the vehicle as a gray 1997 Volvo 850 bearing Pennsylvania registration HN29236. Noticeable features on the vehicle include a license plate on the front of the vehicle, which reads “CAT,” a dent in the trunk lid, and a sticker of a cartoon figure urinating on a rat, police said. The owner last saw the vehicle on Saturday at approximately 10 p.m., according to police. Anyone with information about this vehicle is asked to call police at 610-384-2300.
On Friday at 5:15 a.m., police were dispatched to an accident in the 100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, Officer Chris McCarthy reported. Prior to police arrival, the driver fled the scene on foot, said police, who tracked ownership of the 1998 Acura to Antoinette L. Carter of Coatesville, police said. Police said they located Carter at her residence, and she admitted having driven the Acura, which struck several parked cars, two of which had to be towed from the scene. Police said they cited Carter for driving while suspended, careless driving, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicle or property, and immediate notice of accidents to police.
On Saturday at 12:09 a.m., Officer Jose Colon was dispatched to the area of South Fourth Avenue for a domestic dispute, police said. Upon investigation, Amber P. Stewart, 28, of Coatesville, was arrested for aggravated assault, police said.
Coatesville police responded to the 300 block of Walnut Street on Friday at 3:50 p.m. for a burglary complaint, Officer Paul Antonucci reported. The victim said someone gained entry through a back window Thursday night and stole copper pipes and the water meter from his basement, police said.
A hit-and-run accident led police to South First Avenue and East Lincoln Highway on Saturday at 9:33 a.m. Officer Carmen Mollichella reported. A 1966 Sunbeam Alpine stopped at the red light was struck from behind by a 2000 Saturn sedan, police said. Police said both parties pulled off to the side of the road to exchange information, but then the Saturn driver got back into her car and fled the scene. Police found the Saturn a few blocks away and identified the driver as Nakeya Watson, 36, of Coatesville, police said. Watson was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, driving without a license, and related traffic offenses, police said, adding that no injuries were reported.
Officer Paul Antonucci took another hit-and-run accident report on Saturday at 9:29 a.m., police said. The vehicle owner said when he came outside he found his front driver’s side corner panel had been struck, damage that was not present when he last saw his vehicle at 7 p.m. on Friday at Walnut Street and South Sixth Avenue, police said.
Officer Carmen Mollichella came into contact with Rachel Ortega, 42, of Coatesville, after being dispatched to a disturbance in the 800 block of East Lincoln Highway on Sunday at 1:14 a.m., police said. Ortega was taken into custody without incident on a warrant and held for transport by constables, police said.
