SUNBURY - A bench warrant has been issued for an Elizabethville man accused in a 2010 crash that claimed the life of a Dalmatia teen.
Thomas L. Schorr, 31, of 29 N. Market St., failed to appear in Northumberland County Court Monday for jury selection on his upcoming trial on charges of accidents involving death while not properly licensed, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, duties at stop signs, driving vehicle at a safe speed, careless driving, reckless driving, driving on roadways laned for traffic, false reports and failure to use a safety seat.
The charges stem from an April 12, 2010, accident during which Schorr was allegedly driving erratically with three passengers in his vehicle. One, Bethany Harris, 19, of Dalmatia, exited the vehicle while it was still in motion, striking her head on a rock. She passed away one day later from her injuries.
According to police, Schorr lost control of his 2001 Saturn while traveling around a left curve on McKees Road, Lower Mahanoy Township.
The car then exited the road and struck an embankment with is passenger side before traveling back onto the road and continuing toward Lenker Road.
In a 2010 News-Item article, the teen's mother, Becky Harris, said her daughter tried to leave the vehicle because of Schorr's erratic driving. Harris said her daughter had a fear of such driving because she had been a passenger in two other vehicle accidents, including one in 2008 that caused extensive injuries to her arm, requiring surgery.
Both Becky Harris and Bethany Harris's boyfriend said Schorr should have been given a blood alcohol test at the scene, but state police said if the legal justification to make a DUI arrest was there, police would have done it.
Other trials set
Schorr's case was one of three jury selections Monday before Northumberland County President Judge Robert Sacavage involving upcoming local cases.
Erik J. Harrington, 23, formerly of Sheetz Avenue, Northumberland, waived his right to jury selection and elected to have an Oct. 30 bench trial before Sacavage on felony charges of robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, theft, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit burglary, aiding the consummation of a crime, and simple assault and a misdemeanor charge of terroristic threats.
Harrington was charged by state police in connection with the July 16, 2005, armed robbery of James Honecker, a disabled man living in Paxinos at the time of the robbery.
Police said Harrington and three other individuals - all wearing dark clothing, hats and bandannas across their faces - entered Honecker's home at 1:30 a.m. and held the victim at gunpoint while the house was ransacked. The thieves took 12 rifles and shotguns, knives, ammunition, cash, jewelry, an amplifier and prescription narcotics, valued at $5,590, and caused $300 damage to the home.
Harrington allegedly fled Pennsylvania before his preliminary hearing and was taken into custody on April 29, 2011, in North Carolina. He was extradited to face charges.
A co-defendant in the case, Kasey A. Sees, 26, formerly of Sunbury, pleaded guilty to felony charges of burglary and robbery in August 2006 and was sentenced to 3 1/3 to 6 2/3 years in prison.
A jury of nine men and three women, and two female alternates, will hear the case of Michael Bramhall, 54, of 1119 W. Arch St., Shamokin, before Sacavage beginning Thursday, Oct. 25.
Bramhall was charged with aggravated assault and simple assault following a Nov. 16 incident at his home when county probation officers attempted to speak with him about a female for whom they had an active warrant.
After being told to come around the back and making probation officer get a copy of the warrant he could read, Bramhall met probation officers at the back door, holding a shotgun by its barrel with the butt of the gun on the floor.
When the court officers tried to approach, Bramhall allegedly began to thump the butt of the gun on the floor telling them, "Come on in and see what happens."
Police from Coal Township and several neighboring departments were called, but once a Coal Township police officer came to the door, Bramhall became cooperative.