The New York City man who attempted to elude police in Schuylkill County by running from a traffic stop and jumping into the Schuylkill River appeared in District Court Tuesday morning.
Yensy Santana Alvarez, 34, is being held without bail at Schuylkill County Prison following a May 20 traffic stop that drew police officers from three local muncipalities and ICE agents.
Santana Alvarez faces felony counts of aggravated assault and flight to avoid apprehension, along with misdemeanor charges for resisting arrest and recklessly endangering another person. He is also facing a deportation order that was imposed by an immigration judge, according to police.
On Tuesday, while appearing before Senior Magisterial District Judge Casimir Kosciolek, Alvarez confirmed that he’s secured the services of a Wilkes-Barre attorney for his case on the local charges. However, that attorney was not available for Tuesday’s preliminary hearing and it was continued. Kosciolek told Santana Alvarez that the next dates available for a hearing would be in late-June due to the upcoming trial schedule at Schuylkill County Courthouse. Preliminary hearings at District Court are not scheduled during County trial terms.
Santana Alvarez was joined in court on Tuesday by his wife and two others. He spoke to court officials, and vice versa, through the use of a translator.
Just before 9:30 p.m. on May 20, Schuylkill Haven Police Officer Preston Gehring says he was on patrol with an ICE agent – Schuylkill Haven has joined the ICE 287(g) Task Force Model program – along Route 61 when a Toyota Prius with dark tinted windows passed by.
Gehring says he initiated a traffic stop and pulled over the Prius on the northbound side of Route 61, near Sands Ford. At the time of stop, Santana Alvarez was alone inside the vehicle. The ICE agent on board with Gehring at the time of the stop confirmed that Santana Alvarez had a final order of removal against him. That drew more ICE agents and officers from Schuylkill Haven.
As police were conducting their investigation during the traffic stop, Gehring says Santana Alvarez was acting nervously. He did voluntarily hand over the keys to his Prius, when requested, and stepped out of the vehicle. However, while police began taking Santana Alvarez into custody, he ran, first across the Route 61 median, onto the car dealership lot, and then into a wooded area.
Santana Alvarez, police say, ignored commands to stop. Gehring, who was leading the chase against him, says he fell and hit his face off a brand as the pursuit led into the woods and then the Schuylkill River. The officer says he deployed his Taser and struck Santana Alvarez, who then pulled a probe from his right leg and then continued running up a hill and into a wooded area.
Gehring says he temporarily lost sight of the suspect but then spotted him and he resumed running. Santana Alvarez then allegedly threw himself down a hill and back into the river. Gehring, along with Haven Officer Michael Bucek and Orwigsburg officer Bryce Lewis, then entered the water in an attempt to take Santana Alvarez into custody.
Police say Santana Alvarez briefly pulled Lewis underwater during the struggle but Bucek was able to get one cuff on the suspect and then Gehring utilized the Kimura arm lock (a Brazilian jiu-jitsu move) to bring him into custody.
Officers from Minersville and Saint Clair also assisted at the scene.
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