Schuylkill County Man Facing Charges After Alleged Hatchet Attack

A Schuylkill County is facing charges following an alleged hatchet attack on a Lehigh County roadway.

According to State Police in Fogelsville, the incident occurred just before 5:30 p.m. back on June 15 along Route 863 near Klines Mill and Independent Rds., in Weisenberg Township.

That’s when and where State Police say 47-year-old Robert Klipola, of Schuylkill Haven began driving erratically and aggressively behind another driver, described as a 28-year-old man from Kempton, Berks County, in the northbound lane of the road.

Schuylkill County Man Charged in Alleged Hatchet Attack

Klipola allegedly then began driving in the opposing, southbound, lane of of traffic on Route 863, alongside the Kempton man, attempting to run him off the road. In the process, Klipola also nearly rode two other drivers off the road in the southbound lane.

At that point, the Kempton man pulled off to the side of the road to allow Klipola to pass. Klipola did, to a point. He pulled ahead of the Kempton man but parked his vehicle in the middle of Route 863, blocking both lanes of traffic.

The Kempton man, apparently on the phone with emergency dispatchers the entire time, turned his vehicle around, attempting to flee this situation. Klipola, however, was just getting started. He got out of his vehicle and started walking toward the Kempton man’s vehicle … carrying a hatchet.

A. Hatchet.

The Kempton man, still on the phone, avoided getting hit directly with the hatchet. However, Klipola did hit the man’s vehicle with the hatchet. Police say that caused significant damage to the man’s vehicle, specifically to the rear, driver side quarter panel.

The Kempton man was able to relay the registration information of Klipola’s vehicle to dispatchers. And although Klipola was able to get away from the scene, police eventually caught up to him and arrested him on June 24, according to court information.

Klipola was arraigned before District Judge Tom Clair Creighton on Monday on a felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor assault and reckless endangerment charges. He posted $10,000 bond to avoid jail time. He’s due back in court on July 12 for a preliminary hearing.

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