Wife Of Former Officer Robert Vicosa: York Area Regional Police Chief Blocked Protective Order
BALTIMORE (AP) — The estranged wife of a former Baltimore County police officer who killed himself, an accomplice and his two daughters says a Pennsylvania police chief blocked a court order she sought to protect the girls from their father, according to reports.
In a citizen's complaint filed last week against York Area Regional Police Chief Timothy Damon, the wife of Robert Vicosa wrote that a Pennsylvania judge granted her an emergency protection order on Nov. 14, news outlets reported. His wife's complaint was released this week under open records laws, though officials redacted her name.
"At approximately 3 a.m. on (Monday, Nov. 15), I was informed by two York Area Regional Police Officers that the chief of police put a stop to this order," she wrote. "I am given no explanation for the stop and am still unaware of the reason for stopping the order. In the meantime, my two daughters continue to be in the custody of their father, who is a danger to them, me and himself."
York Area Regional Police Chief Timothy Damon did not respond to requests Monday and Tuesday for comment. The York, Pennsylvania, Daily Record reported that in response to questions on Friday about when and how many times law enforcement tried to serve the emergency protection-from-abuse order, Damon said in an email that the case has been "difficult for those involved."
"Some of those investigators are not working and I do not have the information to provide you today," Damon said.
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is investigating the allegation, The Baltimore Sun reported.
"The York County District Attorney referred the private criminal complaint to our office and we are in the process of reviewing," Jacklin Rhoads, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office, said in an email.
Authorities had been looking for Vicosa and the girls for four days after his estranged wife reported that he had held her and assaulted her at his home outside York, Pennsylvania, according to court documents.
Vicosa, his daughters and his accomplice were spotted on Nov. 18. Pennsylvania State Police alerted Maryland State Police that a vehicle matching the description of an SUV linked to alleged felony offenses including child abduction and carjacking was heading toward the Maryland line. Troopers tried to stop the SUV and a short time later, it went off the road, struck a culvert and stopped in a grassy area.
When Maryland state troopers reached the SUV, they found all four people inside had gunshot wounds. All died. Investigators believe Vicosa was the shooter, Russo said Friday. Maryland State Police continue to investigate the apparent murder-suicide.
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