Cops Say Man Nearly Ran Them Over During Call

Police responding to a domestic call in Falls Township were nearly run down by a fleeing man Sunday night.

According to court papers filed by Falls Officer Tom Lundquist, he was dispatched with another patrol officer to Mercer Court in Fairless Hills for a domestic call at 10:54 p.m.

At the scene, Lundquist was in the road speaking to a woman when Corporal Nicholas Pinto yelled for him to watch out. Lundquist noted he turned to see Pinto jumping out of the way of a black sedan, which then sped toward him and the woman he was speaking with at the time. The two officers and the woman were able to avoid being struck by the sedan, which also nearly hit the side of a parked police vehicle and another nearby car, court documents stated.

The officers tried to follow the vehicle but lost sight, police said.

Pinto, per Lundquist’s account, said the sedan “came speeding back onto Mercer Court and entered through the do not enter, ignoring the posted sign.”

The officers found the sedan in the driveway of a home and found James Vierra Jr., 36, of Falls, exiting the car.

Pinto yelled for Vierra to stay in the car moments before a physical struggle ensued. Lundquist wrote that he grabbed Vierra’s left arm and told him to put it behind his back.

“The Defendant was more interested in yelling to neighbors to videotape the incident as he was flailing his arms. As we struggled with the Defendant … I detected an odor of alcohol coming from his person,” Lundquist wrote.

After a minute or two struggle, Vierra was put in custody and placed in a police car, authorities said.

Vierra was arraigned Monday at 4 a.m. on three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of simple assault, reckless endangerment and a single charge of DUI and other offenses. He was sent to Bucks County prison on 10 percent of $100,000 bail by District Judge Joseph P. Falcone.

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.