Pa. state police say trooper's shots in traffic stop didn't hit driver
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Pennsylvania state trooper fired at a driver during a traffic stop on June 16, but the driver was not hit by gunfire, the agency said in a news release.
Before 6 p.m. last Friday, Pennsylvania State Police were conducting traffic enforcement near South 3rd Street and West Union Street in Allentown when they stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation.
During the encounter, a trooper fired his service weapon twice at a driver, 47-year-old Paris Bartlett.
Pennsylvania State Police at first said Bartlett was struck, but further investigation revealed the shots did not hit the driver.
Following the incident, police say Bartlett drove off and crashed into other cars before stopping on the 500 block of South Carlisle Street.
Investigators say Bartlett was then taken to Saint Luke's Hospital Fountain Hill after the crash. A driver whose vehicle was struck was taken to a hospital for minor injuries.
Bartlett was arraigned and charged on June 17 with 24 counts, including felony charges of aggravated assault and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer. He is currently at the Lehigh County Jail with a posted bail of $200,000.
Pennsylvania State Police have not released information on what led up to the shooting.
The state police Troop M Major Case team and other units are investigating along with Allentown police and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office.
