A Schuylkill County man is being held on $350,000 bail after he allegedly struck a person with a fire poker and then fled the scene in Tremont using a vehicle that wasn’t his.
State Police say responded to an apartment building on N. Crescent St. shortly before 4 p.m. on Thursday (April 9) and met with three victims in the lobby.
One victim told police Joseph Spangler, 40, who had been living in a first-floor apartment, asked to go to a store. The victim offered to drive and went to a second-floor apartment to retrieve keys for a red 2023 Kia Soul from a second victim.
When the victim returned with the keys, Spangler allegedly forcibly removed them from her hand, police say. The victim then went back to the second floor, got the other two victims, and returned to confront Spangler.
During the confrontation, a victim told police Spangler was waving a fire poker in the living room. The accused allegedly lunged forward, lightly striking the victim in the stomach area with the poker. The victim told police she stepped backward to avoid injury as the accused attempted to stab her again.
Police said the accused then pushed all three victims out of the apartment doorway and fled the area in the Soul. The owner of the vehicle told police the accused did not have permission to use it.
Spangler was apprehended and then arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker later that night. He’s been charged with felony counts of aggravated assault and robbery as well as a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Police are also charging him with multiple summary counts of harassment and disorderly conduct.
Kilker set bail at $350,000, according to court records. A preliminary hearing before Judge Christian Lengel is scheduled for April 16.
Schuylkill County Crisis & Support Resources
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence, free, confidential, and inclusive help is available 24/7 in Schuylkill County.
- Schuylkill Hope Center (Domestic Violence): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 622-6220, text HOPELINE to 20121, or visit schopecenter.org. Services include emergency shelter, housing assistance, counseling, and legal representation.
- SARCC (Sexual Assault): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 628-2965 or visit sarccheals.org for counseling, advocacy, and healing support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Outside Schuylkill County: Residents across Pennsylvania can find their local domestic violence program at pcadv.org. You can also visit domesticshelters.org to find resources near you.
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