COAL TOWNSHIP - The young Wilburton couple who were charged with stealing an SUV and eluding police for nearly nine hours on Wednesday were allegedly intoxicated when they drove through stop signs and at speeds of up to 80 mph with a 9-month-old baby, who was not properly restrained, on board.
Those details were revealed Thursday in a criminal complaint filed at the office of Magisterial District Justice John Gembic III by Coal Township Patrolman Christopher Laptosky against David Anthony Pavloski II, 22, of 10 Front St., and Courtney Klemick, 20, of 222 Second St.
Each was charged with a felony count of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, and a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief.
Fight starts
According to the complaint, Jessica Long, of 1125 W. Gowen St., Coal Township, told police she and her boyfriend, Chris Powell, were at home hanging out with Klemick and Pavloski, who are boyfriend and girlfriend, while Klemick's young son was upstairs sleeping.
Long said Klemick got into an altercation with Pavloski. While on the porch, she said Pavloski hit Klemick in the head, knocking her out and onto the ground. Long had to carry Klemick into the house, the complaint says.
Long, who provided video evidence on her phone, said both Klemick and Pavloski, who she said were intoxicated, became "belligerent" and began hitting Powell. Powell kept his hands in his pockets while trying to calm Klemick, police said. The complaint does not indicate why the pair allegedly attacked Powell.
Long said she wanted Pavloski to leave, but without Klemick and her baby. But the couple left with the baby, she told police.
Vehicle stolen
At approximately 2:28 a.m. Wednesday, Pavloski and Klemick left in a maroon 2003 Buick Rendezvous that Long was borrowing from her grandmother, Rita Reilly.
The key was in the ignition, Long told police.
Pavloski was driving; he scraped the neighbor's iron railing with the SUV before traveling down Spruce Street, police were told.
Powell, who corroborated Long's story, said he last saw the vehicle on Spruce Street running two stop signs.
He said he did not want to press charges against Klemick or Pavloski for hitting him, police said.
Police pursue
Lapotsky responded to Long's house after the vehicle was taken. While he was there, Mount Carmel Township Patrolman Dan Politza spotted the stolen vehicle on Route 901 near Boylan's Garage and pursued it toward Locust Gap. However, the driver would not stop and the vehicle reached speeds of 80 mph, Politza reported. Since Politza knew a child was in the vehicle, he terminated the pursuit. He continued to follow the vehicle from a distance, but lost visual contact in Ashland.
Politza then went to Pavloski's house in Wilburton. He noticed the vehicle traveling in the area, but again lost visual contact.
It was reported Thursday that Pavloski and Klemick allegedly abandoned the vehicle along a rocky mountain path behind several homes along Tiffany Lane in Wilburton near Pavloski's house. Police found it at approximately 10:50 a.m. Wednesday and Pavloski and Klemick were found shortly after in Pavloski's home.
They were taken into custody without further incident and were video-arraigned by Gembic at approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday from the Coal Township Police Station. Bail was set at $20,000 cash for each person. After failing to post bail, they were transported to Northumberland County Prison, where they remained Thursday evening.
Baby with father
The baby was returned to his grandfather, Kerry Klemick, 57, of 222 Second St., Wilburton, who had assisted police by watching Pavloski's house Wednesday.
The child is now in the care of his father, Thomas Stanton, of Shenandoah, Kerry Klemick said Thursday afternoon.
Mount Carmel Township Police Chief Brian Hollenbush said additional charges will be filed next week by Politza. Those charges will likely include criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property, fleeing or attempting to flee police, resisting arrest, recklessly endangering another person, recklessly endangering the welfare of a child and reckless driving. Pavloski will likely also be charged with driving under suspension due to previous DUI charges, he said.
(Klemick's age was incorrectly listed at 21 in Thursday's edition.)