Coatesville man with warrants ended up with new escape, drug charges
At 9:19 a.m. on Friday, Coatesville Police Cpls. Jonathan Shave and Ken Michels observed Glenn Merritt walking in the 100 block of Strode Avenue, police said. Police said they wanted to take Merritt into custody on four domestic-relations bench warrants and probation violations, but Merritt apparently had other ideas and ran. His escape was short-lived, however, police said. Merritt was taken in to custody after a foot pursuit and got some additional charges added to his record: flight, escape, and drug possession, police said.
Officer Joe Woulfe responded to the Millview apartments complex for a reported domestic disturbance on Saturday at 7:30 a.m., police said. After speaking with the victim at the hospital, police said a verbal altercation with Bryan A. Bookman, 26, of Coatesville, had turned physical; Bookman was charged with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, police said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28, court records said, and Bookman was released from Chester County Prison after posting 10 percent of $5,000 bail.
On Friday at 7:43 p.m., a man reported that someone broke the passenger-side window and cracked the windshield of his pickup truck with rocks in the 700 block of Lumber Street, Officer Raymond Jaglowicz reported. A witness said three black males, about 14 years old, were seen near the vehicle when the damage occurred, police said. One was described as having curly Afro-type hair and wearing a black, zippered sweatshirt with blue jeans, and another wore a red, long-sleeve shirt with blue jeans, police said. No description was available on the third suspect, but anyone with information should call police at 610-384-2300.
Troopers from the Embreeville barracks investigated a one-vehicle accident on Rt. 340, east of Wagontown Road in West Caln Township, on Saturday at 12:18 a.m., state police said. Police said Joshua C. Nielsen, 22, of Collegeville, was traveling east at a high rate of speed when he was unable to negotiate a curve, traveled across the westbound lane, and struck a utility pole. The severity of Nielsen’s injuries were not known, police said, adding that Nielsen was not wearing a seatbelt and was cited for leaving his lane of travel. Wagontown Fire, Westwood EMS, and Fling’s Towing assisted at the scene, state police said.
