NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
SUSPECT ARRESTED IN OVERNIGHT KIDNAPPING, ASSAULT CASE; SCHOOL BUS DRIVER TO BE CITED FOR CRASH IN HALL MANOR THIS MORNINGMayor Stephen R. Reed today reported that city police have arrested 27-year old Lonnie E. Peterson on charges of Kidnapping, Robbery and Assault in connection with an incident at his home in the 1600 block of Wayne Street yesterday. Separately, police have also cited a school bus driver following an accident this morning in Hall Manor that resulted in seven students being taken to local hospitals for minor injuries. In the Kidnapping case, Reed said Peterson and his paramour, a 28-year old woman from the 1800 block of White Hall Street, went to his home on Wayne Street early Thursday morning(Oct. 19) after being out together for the evening. An argument ensued and Peterson repeatedly struck the woman and threw items at her, including a telephone. Peterson continued beating the women periodically over the next several hours, holding her inside the home and refusing to let her leave. Around 7 a.m. Peterson’s mother, 47-year old Collette Peterson returned to the home after working all night. Though Mrs. Peterson urged her son to release the victim, he instead drug her into a bedroom where he held her until just before 10 a.m. this morning. He then forced the victim into a vehicle and drove her to a bank in Lower Paxton Township, where he demanded she withdraw money from her account for him. The victim went into the bank by herself while Peterson waited in the vehicle outside. She told tellers what was occurring and bank personnel hid her inside the bank and called police. Lower Paxton Township police quickly responded but Peterson had already driven off. The township police advised city police of the incident and city officers promptly arrested both Peterson and his mother at their home on Wayne Street yesterday afternoon. Reed said Lonnie Peterson now faces charges of Kidnapping, Simple Assault, Robbery and a host of related charges and was remanded to Dauphin County Prison. His mother, Collette Peterson, has also been charged with a single count of Kidnapping, for not reporting the crimes to police and allowing the abuse to continue. Mrs. Peterson also knew her son was taking the victim to the bank to withdraw money, and again did nothing to stop him. The victim in the case was subsequently taken to Harrisburg Hospital where she was treated for her injuries and released. Separately, Mayor Reed said a school bus driver was cited for a traffic violation following an early morning traffic accident in Hall Manor. The Mayor said Soni Baskerville, age unknown, of Briggs Street in Harrisburg, was driving a school bus this morning in the 1400 block of Hanover Street and was attempting to make a turn when she swung the bus into the opposite lane, causing an oncoming motorist, Yareliz Torres-Rios, age also unknown, of Hall Manor, to strike the bus. Seven students on the bus were subsequently taken to Community General and Harrisburg Hospitals for treatment of minor, bumps and bruises. All are fine and were released. The Mayor said Baskerville is being cited by city police for Making an Improper or Careless Turn with the school bus. The busdriver is employed and the bus is owned by Boyo Transportation of Harrisburg, which is one of the contracted school bus company for the Harrisburg School District. |
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