SUNBURY - State police are still working to determine the details of a Wednesday morning chase that ended when, according to police, a city officer shot the teen driver after the teen drove into two squad cars and attempted to hit the officer.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Matt Burrows, a community service officer for Troop F, said Thursday the investigation by officers from the state police barracks in Stonington is "continuing and ongoing."
According to Burrows, three officers from Sunbury City Police were involved in the pursuit and an officer from that department shot Naheem Reams, 17, through the windshield of the 1997 Saturn the teen was driving.
Reams remained in critical condition as of 9:15 p.m. Thursday at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
One of the officers suffered a minor head injury in the incident, and was treated and released from a local hospital.
A search warrant for the vehicle was issued Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin Apfelbaum, of Sunbury, and determined the vehicle is registered to Jessica C. Walter. The vehicle is being held at the Stonington barracks while the investigation continues.
A receipt of seized property from the Saturn shows police removed fabric containing a bullet hole from the driver's seat, one round of ammunition from the driver's seat and a cash register, which was found in pieces in a box in the trunk.
When the investigation is complete, the findings will be given to the Northumberland County district attorney's office, which will review the evidence and then make a determination on whether officers were justified in their actions.
Street sweeper day
Police said the incident began when Sunbury Police Department was attempting to clear local streets of vehicles for weekly street cleaning. Officers encountered a vehicle parked along Fifth Street near Brennan's Farm Road that was occupied by the suspect, the state police report said. Brennan's Farm Road is a short street connecting Fifth and Sixth streets, just south of Reagan Street near Goodwill Hose Company.
Police said they "attempted to request" the suspect move his vehicle, but he took off "in a reckless manner." He refused to pull over when police tried to initiate a traffic stop and committed multiple traffic violations while he traveled through the city at a high rate of speed, according to police.
It could not be determined Thursday if police had spoken to Reams before he drove away.
In the area of Chestnut Street (Route 61 south) and Front Street (Route 147), the suspect's vehicle struck two Sunbury Police Department vehicles and the suspect attempted to strike a city officer with his car, police said.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained through the Northumberland County Prothonotary's office Thursday, "the police officer, simultaneously while taking evasive action from being hit, shot into the car's windshield."
Reams' car came to rest in a park not far from the intersection of Front and Market streets.
It appeared the right front tire of the suspect's vehicle was flat or low on air, and there was damage to the rear bumper.
It could not be determined Thursday how bad the damage was to the police cars.
Front Street was closed while police investigated. It didn't reopen until 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, according to PennDOT.
Admin leave
City Police Chief Stephen Mazzeo said Wednesday all three officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in such an incident.
Attempts to contact a man who identified himself at Reams' father in a phone call to The News-Item Wednesday evening were unsuccessful Thursday.