EASTON, Pa. — Northampton County prosecutors are continuing their investigation into a police officer accused of domestic abuse even after two women withdrew their complaints against him last month.
District Attorney Terry Houck and Chief Deputy District Attorney William Blake confirmed they have not dropped their investigation into Moore Township Patrolman Johnathan Miklich. They declined further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
- Moore Township police officer Johnathan Miklich has been suspended since late April after his wife and ex-girlfriend filed protection from abuse complaints against him
- The women withdrew their complaints against him at the end of May. They previously told a judge he needs to work in order to support his family
- The women previously reported he harassed them in uniform as his wife sought a divorce. He was supposed to be on duty at the time.
Miklich's wife and ex-girlfriend filed the complaints against him in late April after they say he interrupted a meeting between the women and an attorney in the Nazareth area as his wife sought a divorce. His wife reported that Miklich pounded on the doors and called their cell phones for 90 minutes, demanding to be let in. She said he was in uniform; Miklich was supposed to be on duty in Bangor, where he worked as a part-time officer. He left after the ex-girlfriend called 911. Police also discovered someone had placed a tracking device on the wife's car, according to her PFA.
In their complaints, the women said Miklich caused them to fear for their lives. He had allegedly previously choked his wife, destroyed walls, cell phones and furniture; and was emotionally abusive, according to court documents. The ex-girlfriend reported that Miklich's best friend had warned her that Miklich tried to hire him for $1,000 to beat and kidnap her.
Because he could not carry a weapon, Miklich was suspended from duty in both Bangor and Moore Township, according to officials. But this caused further problems — his wife said in court documents his income was needed to pay household bills. The women requested the court return his service weapon, but the request was twice denied. Senior Judge Thomas Munley said he would only allow Miklich to carry a weapon if a police department expressed a willingness to end their suspension first.
"I am not going to give it back to him if he doesn't have a job."Senior Judge Thomas Munley
"I am not going to give it back to him if he doesn't have a job," Munley said last month. "This is serious stuff."
After Munley declined the second time to arm Miklich, the two women withdrew their PFAs. With no case before the courts, the county's sheriff department returned Miklich's weapons to him, according to court documents.
"I'm comfortable dropping the PFA. I do not think he is a threat to me," the ex-girlfriend wrote in a statement.
Robert Eyer, Miklich's attorney, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
