MOUNT CARMEL - A Shamokin Area Elementary School teacher charged with multiple offenses - including driving under the influence of alcohol, hit and run and aggravated assault by vehicle - in connection with Wednesday night's accident near here that injured five teens, has been suspended without pay for at least the remainder of the school year.
Victor Edward Swaboski III, 38, of 320 S. Beech St., Mount Carmel, who remains incarcerated at Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, was suspended without pay Thursday by the administration at Shamokin Area School District, according to Superintendent James Zack and school board president Tracey Witmer.
Witmer said Swaboski's employment status may change pending the outcome of his criminal case. She did not rule out the possibility of Swaboski being terminated.
Contacted Thursday morning about Swaboski's employment status, Zack said, "We are consulting with our legal advisers to determine what action will be taken in accordance with Act. 24," he said, referencing the law that involves background checks and the Public School Code. "Violations under Act 24 are subject to certain consequences and we are waiting for recommendations on how to proceed."
Late Thursday afternoon, Zack said Swaboski was suspended indefinitely pending an investigation.
Swaboski also is prohibited from having contact with any students in the district and is not allowed to be on school grounds or attend school-sponsored activities off school property.
"From everything I've been told, Mr. Swaboski is one of the best and well-liked teachers in the elementary school," school board member Brian Persing stated. "It's just a shame bad things happen to good people. My heart goes out to the accident victims and their families, and I hope they have a speedy recovery."
Prior to the charges being filed late Wednesday night, Swaboski's record included only three minor traffic violations.
Zack said Swaboski, who teaches sixth-grade students, has been an elementary school teacher in the district for six years.
Second incident
It's the second time this month that a Shamokin Area teacher was charged with criminal offenses. Michael S. Zack, 23, of 201 Warsaw St., Marion Heights, a former substitute teacher at the middle/high school, was charged with felonies of obscene and other sexual materials and unlawful contact with a minor, and a misdemeanor of corruption of minors. He is accused of sending numerous sexually graphic text messages to four female high school students last year.
Nine offenses
Swaboski, a graduate of Mount Carmel Area High School, is charged by Mount Carmel Township Police Chief Brian Hollenbush and Patrolman Daniel Politza with felonies of aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, flight to avoid apprehension and accidents involving death or personal injury; misdemeanors of driving under the influence of alcohol and recklessly endangering another person, and summaries of failure to provide information and render aid, reckless driving, failure to drive in a single lane and restrictions on alcoholic beverages. For the aggravated assault, accidents involving death or personal injury and reckless endangering charges, Swaboski faces five counts - one for each victim.
He was arraigned on the charges shortly before midnight Wednesday by on-call Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones of Mount Carmel and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Hollenbush said additional charges are pending the results of a blood test taken at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital.
Found with 2 beers
Swaboski fled the scene of the accident with one of the bicycles being dragged by his Jeep Liberty, creating a shower of sparks along the road, police said.
He was found later hiding in a wooded area near Seventh and Poplar streets in Mount Carmel and was taken into custody, Hollenbush said. A criminal complaint filed against him states he was found with two cans of Miller Lite beer, one of them open.
Three of the five teens injured in the hit-and-run accident near Mount Carmel Area Elementary School remained hospitalized Thursday. The victims are Tyler Wondoloski, 18, of 802 W. Fifth St., Mount Carmel; Seanna Zimmerman, 13, of 449 E. Seventh St., Mount Carmel; Andrew Campbell, 16, of 411 N. Maple St., Diamondtown; Chelsea Troutman, 14, of 242 S. Peach St., Mount Carmel, and Jarret Schultz, 17, of 236 S. Poplar St., Mount Carmel.
All five of the victims are students at Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School.
Police said bystanders were already providing first aid to the victims when they arrived on scene.
Police reported Swaboski fled the scene on Beaverdale Highway (also known as Locust Gap Highway) before turning right onto West Fifth Street. He turned right onto South Willow Street before turning left onto West Sixth Street before coming to rest at the intersection of West Sixth and South Beech streets.
Swaboski then parked the vehicle on South Beech Street, where witnesses spotted the driver exit the Jeep Liberty and remove the bicycle from underneath his vehicle. After leaving the bicycle on South Beech Street, police said Swaboski proceeded to drive south on Beech Street toward Seventh Street. The Jeep Liberty then turned left onto West Seventh Street and traveled east before coming to rest in the 400 block of South Poplar Street, where he exited the vehicle and ran into the woods.
Mount Carmel Township police and Northumberland County probation and parole officers secured the Jeep Liberty and then began their search for Swaboski, who was found approximately 60 yards up a hill and taken into custody.
Police said the Jeep Liberty sustained extensive front-end damage. The undercarriage of the vehicle also was damaged. The Jeep Liberty was towed by Dave's Auto Body.
Assisting Hollenbush and Politza were Mount Carmel Township Officers Kelly Campbell, David Stamets and Brian Carnuccio, Mount Carmel Patrolmen Justin Stelma and Jason Drumheller, county probation and parole officers, AREA Services Ambulance, Kulpmont Ambulance, Life Flight helicopter personnel, Beaverdale firefighters, Mount Carmel Area Rescue Squad, Mount Carmel Fire Police and members of American Hose Fire Company who set up a landing zone for the helicopters on the campus of Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School.