Police Blotter from Swarthmore Police Chief Raymond C. Stufflet - March 2-15

March 2 - 15

Accidents

• March 2, 6:42 p.m.: A car traveling west on Baltimore Pike pulled into the left-turn lane as it approached Riverview Road. Meanwhile, another car pulled out of the parking lot of the Qdoba restaurant on Baltimore Pike and tried to turn left to head east. In doing so, it pulled into the first car’s lane and was struck in the front fender. The westbound car was so badly damaged that it had to be towed. The second car was driven from the scene. No one was hurt.

• March 5, 1:29 p.m.: Three cars were driving north on North Chester Road approaching Elm Avenue. When the first two cars stopped for traffic, the third failed to stop in time. It struck the car in front of it, which was pushed into the first car. One car sustained disabling damage to its front and rear bumpers and had to be towed from the scene. The other two cars could be driven from the crash site. The driver of the third car was treated for a minor injury to his head.

• March 10, 4:59 p.m.: Three cars were driving north on South Chester Road approaching Yale Avenue. The first two cars stopped at the red light at Yale. The third car accelerated,  hitting the rear bumper of the second car and pushing it into the first. The driver later said they had accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake. The third car required towing, but the other two were driven from the scene. No one was hurt.

• March 12, 2:39 p.m.: A car heading south on Chester Road jumped the curb and drove through part of the roundabout near Rutgers Avenue, damaging the car and some of the roundabout’s shrubs. The car then pulled over near Yale Avenue. Police officers identified the driver who was found to have a suspended operator’s license. The car was towed and the driver was cited for driving with a suspended license.

Stolen Car

March 1, 10:29 a.m.: Police received a notification from the department’s license plate reader alerting them to a stolen car in the area. After confirming the validity of the notification, officers pursued a Ford Escape, stopping it on Route 320 north of Baltimore Pike. The driver was taken into custody for receiving stolen property and driving with a suspended operator’s license. The Upper Darby resident was then arraigned before a district justice and transported to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Glen Mills to await a preliminary hearing.

Alarms

Police responded to nine alarm calls, including fire alarms, panic alarms, and false burglar alarms.

Medical Emergencies:

Police responded to 16 medical emergencies, assisting medics and the Swarthmore ambulance.

Note: With the Swarthmore-Rutledge School open for full in-person learning, the Swarthmore Borough Police will station an officer near the school during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. Residents and parents should use caution when traveling near the elementary school during those times.