Credit: Falls Township police
A 21-year-old man wanted following a stabbing last weekend in Falls Township surrendered to police this week.
Zachary Santana, of Philadelphia, was the “prime suspect” in the incident that left a 17-year-old boy with stab wounds to the abdomen and lower thorax area. Doctors, according to court papers, said the 17-year-old boy in the hospital suffered two punctured lungs, fractured ribs, both forearms broken, and numerous superficial wounds.
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Falls Township police Chief Nelson Whitney said Santana surrendered in Bristol Borough on Monday and was taken into custody by township officers.
The stabbing happened shortly before 5:45 p.m. last Saturday at Manor Elementary School on Penn Valley Road. The injured teenager was discovered bleeding profusely a few hundred yards away in the unit block of Timothy Lane by responding officers, police said.
A witness who was with the boy said he was dropped off at the school to meet with the 17 year old and some other boys. He admitted to police the reason for the meet up was because Blanco, which is Santana’s nickname, was supposed to fight the teen.
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A social media post spotted by the witness stated Santana was going wild and punching things at a house in the North Park neighborhood. The boys went to the home on North Park Drive and an altercation between the four and Santana happened. A later meetup and fight at Manor Elementary School was set, police said.
The group of four and Santana and others showed up at the school. Members of the arriving group appeared to have firearms in their waistbands. The others fled and only the 17-year-old boy and Santana remained. At that time, the stabbing happened, police said.
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The 17-year-old injured teen told a detective there was an altercation involving Santana on North Park Drive and a later fight with Santana planned at the elementary school. The boy said he was stabbed and struck multiple times and fell to the ground after Santana arrived at the school, according to police.
Santana was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, and possession of an instrument of crime by an on-call district judge and held on 10 percent of $100,000 bail.
Editor’s Note: A miscommunication in the police department led to authorities announcing the defendant was arrested Wednesday. He was actually arrested Monday evening.
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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.
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