Crime & Safety

One Suspect Spat at Cop, Other Ate Marijuana, Police Say

Men in car stopped for bad headlight racked up additional charges when they resisted police, court papers say.

 

A Bethlehem traffic stop landed two men in jail early Sunday, with one of them allegedly spitting vomit at a police officer, while the other apparently tried to eat marijuana.

According to police, officers stopped a white Honda on the 600 block of Atlantic Street on the SouthSide because one of the headlights was not working. One of the men in the car, Jose Leon, 22, no address given, told police his name was "Luis Leon," and that he was 17.

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Police say Leon struggled with officers who tried to fingerprint him. At one point, he vomited into his mouth, and spit the fluids onto one of the officers.

He is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, possession of a small amount of marijuana, and providing false identification to law enforcement. He was arraigned before District Judge Richard Yetter and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $65,000 bail.

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Another man in the car, David Hernandez, 19, of 1543 E. Eighth Street in South Bethlehem, allegedly refused to get out of the vehicle after police learned there was a warrant for his arrest on a gun charge. Police say Hernandez also tried to eat some marijuana roaches he had with him. Police say they also found a bag of heroin with Hernandez.

He is charged with resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, and tampering with evidence. Hernandez was also arraigned before Yetter and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $35,000 bail.

Two other men inside the vehicle were issued summonses for possessing a small amount of marijuana and released, police said.


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