HARVEYS LAKE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A man is facing charges after police say he punched a car owner after crashing into his vehicle, stole a vehicle, hit a PennDOT worker, and fled the scene.
On December 16, around 2:00 a.m., Harveys Lake Police said they were called to the area of 2489 Lakeside Drive for a crash where the suspect allegedly involved punched a man trying to assist him and stole his SUV.
Police say they learned that the suspect, Nicholas Shane Allen, 32, of Tunkhannock, fled the crash scene toward the boat launch where he crashed the stolen SUV into another vehicle. He then allegedly approached the driver of that vehicle as if he had a gun. Allen then fled the scene, hitting a PennDOT worker who had stopped to render aid to the crash victim, according to court documents. Police say the worker was able to crawl to the side of the road and call for help.
Man accused of biting part of victim’s ear off during assault
Officers followed the tire tracks to Wyoming County where they found Allen in the vehicle off the road, spinning its wheels in a ditch, as stated in the affidavit. Police say Allen refused to exit the vehicle and removed him after using pepper spray.
Investigators say they learned that Allen shot a woman several times with a pellet gun and pistol whipped her in the back of the head the night before.
Allen was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for evaluation because he told officers that he was withdrawing from heroin, according to court documents. Police say Allen told them he had used over 100 bags of heroin in the past 24 hours.
Allen is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle, theft, fleeing the scene of an accident, receiving stolen property, and simple assault.