A Schuylkill County woman is facing DUI and endangering the welfare of children charges following an incident last week.
According to court documents, police in Tamaqua were called to the area of 900 E. Broad St. shortly after 3 a.m. on May 12 for a report of a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, its horn blaring, and music blasting.
People who also called 9-1-1 said a person was running around with a gun.
As police arrived on the scene, they found their suspect – later to be identified as Alysha Hartshorn, 38, of Tamaqua – stopped in the westbound lane of E. Broad St. Both the driver and passenger doors of her Toyota Sienna were open. The rear cargo lift gate was also open, police say. Keys were in the ignition and the engine was still running. Music was still playing loudly.
Police say Hartshorn was just involved in a verbal domestic disturbance hours prior to them arriving on the scene. She and her husband were separated by police during that incident.
After refusing to be cuffed at the scene, police say they had to take Hartshorn down to get her into custody.
During the course of their investigation, police say they obtained video from witnesses of this incident. The videos reportedly show Hartshorn walking around in the middle of the road. Those witnesses also told police that Hartshorn had said that another person was running around with a gun. Witnesses, however, told police there was no other person seen.
Police say they did find a rifle with no ammo on the passenger seat of Hartshorn’s vehicle.
Hartshorn was taken to a nearby hospital for a blood test but she reportedly refused, police say.
When police took Hartshorn back to her home later that night, she reportedly told them that another adult was in her home watching her children and that she could be released to that adult.
Police say they knocked several times but no one answered the door. A child was seen peeking through a third-story window, however, police say. Hartshorn was asked again if an adult was at her home and she reportedly said, “I don’t know.”
The father of the children was then called and he arrived to care for them, police say.
Hartshorn was taken to the Tamaqua Police station while charges were filed.
Police have charged her with endangering the welfare of children for leaving her three children home alone and DUI, both misdemeanors. She’s also facing summary charges of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for late-June before District Magistrate Judge Stephen Bayer.
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