Police: Stolen vehicle used as battering ram

A Lehighton man has been charged with intentionally striking a vehicle multiple times with a stolen vehicle.

According to the affidavit filed by patrolman Bruce Broyles of the Lehighton Borough Police Department:

At 4:10 a.m. March 22, Broyles was dispatched to the area of the 300 block of South Second Street for a vehicle continuously ramming into other vehicles.

Upon arrival, Broyles came into contact with a man who was later confirmed to be Kevin Hegarty, 47, of the 300 block of North Third Street.

Hegarty said an armed driver in one of the vehicles was arguing with passengers who were in danger.

Hegarty said that he was driving the gray Chevrolet Trailblazer which he used to ram into the vehicle the armed assailant was in to save the passengers.

The other vehicle involved was confirmed to be a silver Nissan Murano, which was confirmed to not be occupied.

Light damage was observed on the driver-side headlight portion of the Trailblazer. Heavy damage was observed to the Nissan Murano, which had no rear windshield, heavy denting on the driver door and heavy damage to the front of the vehicle, where the bumper was nearly dislodged from the vehicle.

In speaking with witnesses, and watching video footage obtained from a residential security camera, it was determined that the Trailblazer was traveling southbound on the 200 block of South Second Street, where it appeared to strike the back of the Murano.

The Trailblazer then turned around in the parking lot of Ruby’s Saloon, where it again hit the Murano, this time the front of it.

A witness said that he saw the vehicle striking the Murano intentionally several times before leaving the scene, then returning again momentarily.

Another witness — who was also present when Hegarty said he was the operator of the Trailblazer — saw Hegarty punch the back windshield.

Broyles spoke with the owner of the Trailblazer, who said that he did not give Hegarty permission to drive his vehicle, and was unaware his vehicle had been driven from his house at all, let alone damaged as a result of this incident.

The owner of the Murano said she left for work around 6 p.m. March 21, and that upon leaving, her vehicle was in what she described to be “perfect” condition.

When she returned home at 8 a.m. March 22, the vehicle was in the condition it was in upon Broyles’ arrival.

Broyles attempted to speak with Hegarty, but he did not wish to speak with Broyles.

Hegarty faces four counts of criminal mischief, as well as one count each of theft by unlawful taking; receiving stolen property; unauthorized use of automobiles and other vehicles.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,500 straight bail, and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing April 10 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.