Crime & Safety

Suspect Slams Head on Police Station Wall

In Bethlehem Police headquarters, homeless man gets angry at arraignment for charge he stole $100 on Christmas Day, court records say.

 

Angry about his arrest and arraignment on charges stemming from an alleged Christmas Day theft, a homeless man took his frustrations out by twice slamming his head into a wall at Bethlehem Police headquarters on Wednesday night, according to court papers.

Nicholas Davila, 25, was charged with institutional vandalism for the damage he allegedly caused to the wall and other property at City Hall. The warrant did not mention whether there was damage to Davila’s head.

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Davila was brought in on allegations that he had stolen $100 from a woman who had agreed to drive him from South Bethlehem to West Bethlehem on Christmas evening.

According to the affidavit of probable cause:

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  • Charlene Truszkowski told police that Davila took two $50 bills out of her purse and then tried to get out of her car as she was driving across the Philip J. Fahy Bridge.
  • Truszkowski continued to drive until she reached Bethlehem Police headquarters, where she stopped at the parking garage and summoned a police officer for help. As she did that, Davila fled on foot out of the garage. That happened at about 6:30 p.m., Christmas Day.
  • Truszkowski, who only knew the suspect as “Nick,” was able to identify Davila in a photograph that police supplied based on her description. Davila had been arrested previously on numerous charges, including drug violations, theft and providing false identification to law enforcement.

Davila was charged with theft and receiving stolen property and arraigned via video teleconference before on-duty District Judge Nancy Matos-Gonzalez, who set bail at $15,000.

“The defendant got very angry with the outcome of the arraignment,” says the arrest affidavit on the vandalism charge.

It goes on to say the following:

  • “He was allowed a phone call to see if he could get bailed out. During this time, the defendant sat down in front of the table with the telephone. He raised his fists up into the air and slammed them onto the table with full force.”
  • As the arresting officer told Davila to calm down, he “slapped the telephone, causing it to fall down.”
  • “The defendant stood up and said ‘take me.’ Unexpectedly, he slammed the right side of his head right through the wall. He then stood back and again slammed his head and his right shoulder into the wall, causing more damage to the wall. He was taken down to the floor and handcuffed.”

Once again, Davila was arraigned before Matos-Gonzalez, who set bail on the new charge at $35,000. Davila was committed to Northampton County Prison.


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