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Schuylkill River Trail attacks down
Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken. Photo by Andy Stettler
By Keith Phucas
Times Herald Staff
PLYMOUTH — Incidents of intimidation and violence on the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown dropped since the summer due to increased police patrols, according Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.
Earlier this year, reports of harassment of cyclists on the trail were on the rise in the county. And after several adult cyclists reported being harassed on the Norristown portion of the trail, county officials and police met with a cycling group in June.
One woman reported being punched, a man had rocks thrown at him and others cyclists had their paths blocked by groups of teenagers. After the meeting, Norristown police and the county Sheriff’s deputies immediately stepped up the police presence along the path.
“Once those patrols began, we noticed an immediate and significant reduction in acts of violence. From all the reports I received, it seems that the remainder of the summer and fall were relatively uneventful and our citizens were able to enjoy the trail and parks as they should,” Ferman wrote in a December e-mail message.
The DA said other “law enforcement actions” are planned to ensure that these trails remain safe and accessible for the public; however, she did not elaborate. Previously, Ferman promised to mount “undercover operations” on the trail.
The issue came to a head on July 22, when a man riding a bike reportedly fired a gun in the direction of two youths who had assaulted him.
That Wednesday evening, Plymouth police received reports of gunfire on the bike path, and they later took a 27-year-old Norristown man, Joseph James DePaul Jr., into custody for questioning.
DePaul told investigators he tried to get onto the bike trail in Conshohocken around 8:30 p.m., but two juveniles on bikes reportedly blocked his path. Though DePaul was able to get around them, both the juveniles allegedly followed him, according to the DA’s Office.
After the teens passed the cyclist, the juveniles collided with each other on their bikes, and as DePaul rode by them, they “exchanged words” with him.
Soon after, the 17-year-old got back on his BMX bike and chased DePaul, and after catching up to him, kicked him, which caused him to almost lose control of his bike and hit a fence, according to authorities.
Moments later, the man admitted drawing his Keltec .380 caliber handgun and firing six shots at the boy who had kicked him. The juvenile was about 200 to 250 feet away from DePaul at the time. At the time of the incident, the man had a legal permit to carry the weapon.
Two days after the shooting incident, county Sheriff John P. Durante, whose office issues gun permits, revoked DePaul’s firearm license for endangering public safety.
Though the armed man was initially facing attempted murder and manslaughter charges, the DA withdrew those and instead charged him with recklessly endangering another person, arguing that DePaul’s actions were reasonable.
“These kids were terrorizing a person on the bike trail as he was going to work,” Ferman said. However, the man’s “conduct was so reckless, that we think it was appropriate to charge him with reckless endangering another.”
The case is pending.
When Plymouth Township police went to the home of the teenager’s father to arrest the juvenile last summer, they discovered a “bicycle chop shop” in the basement that included nearly 20 bicycles and bike parts that are reportedly suspected of being stolen.
The 17-year-old boy from Norristown was adjudicated in juvenile court after admitting he assaulted the bicyclist on the trail.
from http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2009/12/29/roxborough_review/doc4b3a006d0ae24700770383.txt
Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken. Photo by Andy Stettler
By Keith Phucas
Times Herald Staff
PLYMOUTH — Incidents of intimidation and violence on the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown dropped since the summer due to increased police patrols, according Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.
Earlier this year, reports of harassment of cyclists on the trail were on the rise in the county. And after several adult cyclists reported being harassed on the Norristown portion of the trail, county officials and police met with a cycling group in June.
One woman reported being punched, a man had rocks thrown at him and others cyclists had their paths blocked by groups of teenagers. After the meeting, Norristown police and the county Sheriff’s deputies immediately stepped up the police presence along the path.
“Once those patrols began, we noticed an immediate and significant reduction in acts of violence. From all the reports I received, it seems that the remainder of the summer and fall were relatively uneventful and our citizens were able to enjoy the trail and parks as they should,” Ferman wrote in a December e-mail message.
The DA said other “law enforcement actions” are planned to ensure that these trails remain safe and accessible for the public; however, she did not elaborate. Previously, Ferman promised to mount “undercover operations” on the trail.
The issue came to a head on July 22, when a man riding a bike reportedly fired a gun in the direction of two youths who had assaulted him.
That Wednesday evening, Plymouth police received reports of gunfire on the bike path, and they later took a 27-year-old Norristown man, Joseph James DePaul Jr., into custody for questioning.
DePaul told investigators he tried to get onto the bike trail in Conshohocken around 8:30 p.m., but two juveniles on bikes reportedly blocked his path. Though DePaul was able to get around them, both the juveniles allegedly followed him, according to the DA’s Office.
After the teens passed the cyclist, the juveniles collided with each other on their bikes, and as DePaul rode by them, they “exchanged words” with him.
Soon after, the 17-year-old got back on his BMX bike and chased DePaul, and after catching up to him, kicked him, which caused him to almost lose control of his bike and hit a fence, according to authorities.
Moments later, the man admitted drawing his Keltec .380 caliber handgun and firing six shots at the boy who had kicked him. The juvenile was about 200 to 250 feet away from DePaul at the time. At the time of the incident, the man had a legal permit to carry the weapon.
Two days after the shooting incident, county Sheriff John P. Durante, whose office issues gun permits, revoked DePaul’s firearm license for endangering public safety.
Though the armed man was initially facing attempted murder and manslaughter charges, the DA withdrew those and instead charged him with recklessly endangering another person, arguing that DePaul’s actions were reasonable.
“These kids were terrorizing a person on the bike trail as he was going to work,” Ferman said. However, the man’s “conduct was so reckless, that we think it was appropriate to charge him with reckless endangering another.”
The case is pending.
When Plymouth Township police went to the home of the teenager’s father to arrest the juvenile last summer, they discovered a “bicycle chop shop” in the basement that included nearly 20 bicycles and bike parts that are reportedly suspected of being stolen.
The 17-year-old boy from Norristown was adjudicated in juvenile court after admitting he assaulted the bicyclist on the trail.
from http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2009/12/29/roxborough_review/doc4b3a006d0ae24700770383.txt
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