State police: Man initiated pursuit with children in vehicle

May 22—WILKES-BARRE — A man with addresses in Connecticut and Hanover Township was arraigned Wednesday on allegations he initiated a pursuit on the North Cross Valley Expressway that ended in a crash in the area of South River and South Franklin streets, Wilkes-Barre.

Joevhanny Anthony Lopez, 28, admitted to fleeing a traffic stop for speeding on the expressway and crashing into a parked vehicle Tuesday night, according to court records.

State police said they recovered a Glock 9mm handgun and marijuana inside Lopez's vehicle.

Two children, ages 4-years and 3-months, and a woman were inside Lopez's vehicle during the pursuit, court records say.

A trooper clocked Lopez, operating a 2014 Toyota Venza, traveling 84 mph in a 55 mph zone and attempted a traffic stop at about 6 p.m., court records say.

Lopez failed to stop, court records say, and initiated a pursuit exiting the expressway in Plains Township and passed through red traffic signals as he drove on North River Street into Wilkes-Barre.

State police in court records say Lopez crashed into an occupied vehicle at South River and Academy streets, Wilkes-Barre, and continued on South River Street where he struck a parked vehicle.

A trooper utilized a maneuver that caused Lopez to strike another parked vehicle on South River Street.

After Lopez was detained, he claimed a Glock 9mm he purchased on the streets of Connecticut was in a backpack inside the vehicle.

A search warrant was served on the vehicle resulting in marijuana, marijuana gummies, a black ski mask and the firearm were recovered, court records say.

Lopez was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo of Plains Township on charges of firearms not to be carried without a license, fleeing or attempting to elude police, flight to avoid apprehension, illegal possession of a firearm, two counts of child endangerment, four counts of reckless endangerment and several vehicle and traffic violations. He was jailed without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility as Spagnuolo deemed him a flight risk and a danger to society.

In an unrelated case, Wilkes-Barre police charged Lopez for smashing a glass door during a domestic disturbance at 321 E. South St. on April 3.