Frank Andruscavage
Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS, Pa. — A man who ran through the streets of this West Mahanoy Township village naked, stole a vehicle and drove it into the Shenandoah Heights Fire Company building Friday morning was arrested and jailed.
Damian Ray Hester, 18, of 218 Virginia Ave., Shenandoah Heights, told medical personnel that he had consumed methamphetamine and marijuana, according to police.
State police Trooper Robert Powell of the Frackville station said the events leading up to Hester’s arrest began around 5:30 a.m.
Powell was called to the area of 188 Virginia Ave. for a report of a man running naked in the street. As he was approaching the area of Swatara Road and Virginia Avenue, Powell said, he saw a vehicle traveling on Virginia Avenue that failed to stop at a stop sign.
The vehicle continued into and through the parking lot of the fire company at 148 Swatara Road and crashed through a wall of the building, causing what Powell said was major structural damage.
He said he found Hester naked and trying to climb from the driver’s seat to the back seat.
The owner of the car, Crystal Boxer, said Hester stole the vehicle from in front of her home. She had started it, but left the vehicle to take her dog inside, Powell said.
As Hester drove off, he struck a vehicle owned by Boxer’s boyfriend, pushing it into another parked vehicle, and fled at a high rate of speed.
Powell said Hester on Friday morning also illegally entered a home, but left when a woman inside yelled at him, and approached a woman in her vehicle and tried to get inside.
He was charged with one count each of criminal trespass, theft, stop sign and yield sign violations and accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property.
Hester was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail.
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©2020 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.)