A man accused of causing a nasty car wreck on Route 1 early Friday is also said to have fought an officer and damaged a police vehicle.
Falls Township police were dispatched to southbound Route 1, just north of Oxford Valley Road, for reports of a vehicle accident just before 1 a.m.
Credit: Falls Twp. Police
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Police said officers arrived to find a GMC Envoy with keys in the ignition in the roadway with its lights off. A witness said the vehicle struck his car at a high rate of speed while trying to pass on the shoulder. They also relayed to police that the SUV hit the median and spun around before stopping. The driver was reported to have jumped the median and ran into the nearby woods, court papers say.
Officers began searching the woods and used a thermal imaging camera to find the alleged driver – Bobbie L. Henderson III, 31, of Hamilton, N.J. – “hunkered down,” according to court papers. Officer Stephanie Metterle wrote in court papers police made contact with Henderson and a strong odor of alcohol was coming from his person.
“Henderson immediately starting complaining of left arm pain before police approached him. Henderson disobeyed commands to lay on his stomach and place his hands behind his back on numerous occasions,” court papers state.
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Henderson is alleged to have disobeyed police commands to lay on his stomach and place his hands behind his back on numerous occasions, according to court papers.
Police described Henderson’s speech as “extremely slurred and slow.” They also said in court papers that his eyes kept closing like he was falling asleep.
Two cell phones and another person’s AAA card were reportedly found near Henderson. The 31-year-old, according to police, told officers he was the only one in the SUV when the crash happened.
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As an officer tried to put Henderson in his police car, the 31-year-old kicked the officer in the knee to avoid being placed in the vehicle, court papers say. The officer was transported to the hospital for an evaluation.
While heading to the hospital, Henderson busted out a police car window and kicked the door so hard it bent the frame of the door, court papers say.
A strong smell of marijuana was reported by an officer to be coming from the crashed GMC.
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Police said Henderson’s license was suspended at the time of the crash.
Henderson was arraigned Friday morning on charges including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, DUI and flight to avoid apprehension. His bail was set at $500,000 by District Judge Robert Wager Jr.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
