NATALIE - An Elysburg man and his daughter were arraigned on multiple charges late Tuesday night after they allegedly attempted to break into Joe's Body Shop in Natalie, where the man's pickup truck was impounded after being involved in an accident a couple hours earlier in the same village.
Irvin Snyder III, 54, of 5 Madison Ave., Elysburg, and his daughter, Melanie Guinther, 30, of 244 S. Beech St., Mount Carmel, were charged by Mount Carmel Township Patrolmen David Stamets and Matt Filarski with criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, defiant trespass and loitering and prowling at night. Snyder also was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and possession of an altered or misbranded controlled substance after being found with prescription pills.
Mount Carmel Township Police Chief Brian Hollenbush reported Snyder and Guinther attempted to break into an impound yard at Joe's Body Shop, 10 Colonial Ave., shortly before 10 p.m. in an apparent effort to retrieve evidence from a 1995 Chevy pickup truck owned by Snyder that was involved in an accident at about 7:30 p.m. off Route 54.
Snyder and Guinther were arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III of Shamokin and committed to Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $5,000 bail each. They later posted bail and were released.
Truck hit house, garage
Hollenbush said the accident occurred while Snyder was driving the truck east on Route 54. The police chief said Snyder lost control of the truck, which crossed into the westbound lane before exiting the highway. The vehicle then traveled approximately 50 feet across a grass plot before striking a house and attached garage at 214 Colonial Ave. inhabited by Donald Clouser Jr. and Brenda L. Yeager.
The structure and truck sustained severe damage.
The truck was towed from the scene by Joe's Body Shop; the residence had to be shored up by personnel and machinery from Shamokin Emergency Squad.
Police said Snyder was detained at the accident scene for chemical testing before being released. Hollenbush said driving under the influence of alcohol charges are pending against Snyder, who refused medical treatment.
In addition to Hollenbush, Stamets and Filarski, also assisting at the accident scene were members of Natalie Fire Company, East End Fire Company in Kulpmont and AREA Services.