UPDATE: Driver Was Drunk And On Heroin At Time Of Tuesday’s Fatal Crash, Police Say

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thomas Gallagher Jr., according to officials and court records, was pressing his luck for years.

A decade-long history of alcohol-related legal troubles — including two DUI charges — weren’t stopping him from getting behind the wheel.

His own passengers, it was learned Thursday, were pleading with him to pull over Tuesday prior to a crash in West Lampeter that killed Meredith Demko, a recent high school graduate.

On Thursday afternoon, police filed additional charges of vehicular homicide while DUI. Gallagher’s blood-alcohol level was about three times the state’s legal limit at the time of the crash, documents show.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/lampeterstrasburg/news/update-driver-was-drunk-and-on-heroin-at-time-of/article_ba0f8728-0848-11e4-b1b6-0017a43b2370.html

Heroin, Marijuana Found In Car With Kids In Wilkes-Barre

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA — City police pursuing two men after a hand-to-hand exchange on South Main Street found heroin and marijuana in a vehicle with three young children.

Police said heroin packets in zip-lock bags were found in an open can of Natty Daddy beer and a bag of marijuana was found in the console of the car driven by 29-year-old Tyrell Lee Dunbar, according to charges filed.

Dunbar said the three children, ages 1, 3 and 5, inside the car were his kids. The children were turned over to their grandmother, police said.

Dunbar, of Sambourne Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count each of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Read more: http://timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/1292786/Heroin-marijuana-found-in-car-with-kids

After Philly’s Running Of The Santas, A Tragic Death

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Philadelphia County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HE LAST SUIT Adam Herr wore was an outward expression of the ideals he embodied – joy, generosity and love.

The last suit Adam Herr wore was a Santa Claus suit.

Herr, 24, of Lebanon, Pa., was in Philadelphia for the annual Running of the Santas on Saturday when somehow, about 10:25 p.m., he found himself in costume and on foot on Interstate 95 South near the I-676 interchange.

Motorist Augustine Bangura, 27, of Philadelphia, was also on I-95 at the same spot at the same time, State Police said. Apparently he did not see Herr or his red suit.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20131209_After_Philly_s_Running_of_the_Santas__a_tragedy.html#Soa0zLfdrT4BTO5b.99