Criminal Justice

The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office and ArtsQuest will work together to bring a DUI Awareness Campaign to this year’s Oktoberfest at SteelStacks.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk on Thursday pointed to a slew of positive statistics as he said “violent crime is down” and asked residents to acknowledge the “recency bias” caused a homicide the night before.

Jahlik R. Colon, of Temple, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Wednesday in the emergency department at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Coroner Dan Buglio said in a news release.

Liz Marie Pacheco, 38, of Allentown, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for her part in the Dec. 7 shooting death of Hector Manuel Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton, Carbon County.

As a new round of scams make way through Pennsylvanians via phone call and text message, officials are warning residents to be cautious and instead report potential scams to the appropriate agencies.

The shooting occurred about 1 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of Pierce Street. Police described it as "an isolated incident between known parties."

Jared Gerhard, 31, of Macungie, was sentenced Thursday in a hearing before Lehigh County Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks to 9 to 23 months in Lehigh County Jail, county District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said.

Leroy Mendez, 37, was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI and accidents involving death or personal injury, all felonies, police said.

The shooting occurred in September 2024 near North Law and Liberty streets. Police said they arrested the 26-year-old suspect after spotting him Monday night walking with a woman in the 1300 block of West Walnut Street.

Brenda Rodriguez entered the plea before Lehigh County Judge Robert L. Steinberg. She is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 5 and could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Lehigh County commissioners approved a nearly $1 million contract with long-term vendor Lehigh Valley Pretrial Services Inc. though several commissioners and the county controller raised concerns about transparency.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro has announced the charges against 30 individuals and 21 businesses located in Lehigh, Lebanon and Philadelphia counties. They are accused of “title washing” and re-titling stolen vehicles.

The Community Connections Partnership joins social workers from the city's Health Bureau with police officers to connect people who need help with social services. The police chief says the program has been successful, but the idea is not universally popular.

After 65 years, the Philadelphia Police Department has finally identified the victim in the city’s oldest unsolved homicide case as 4-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli, of West Philadelphia.

An anonymous donor gifted Northampton County's Department of Corrections a 2-year-old Labrador to assist with examining seized property.

"Deana's Law" will add harsh penalties for drunken and impaired drivers who repeatedly violate the law in Pennsylvania.

Lehigh County commissioners are evaluating a proposal that would create a new program for individuals recently released from prison by engaging them before release and following them to ensure they stay employed and do not reoffend.

A driver was pulled over shortly after noon Monday, and ran into the woods before being arrested along I-78, police said.

Emmaus Public Library hosted a workshop highlighting common types of scams and fraud — and how to keep from falling victim to them in the holiday season and beyond.

Grubhub will now disclose the app has higher prices than restaurants, in order to be more transparent. They will also make a donation to Pennsylvania food banks, instead of paying damages.

During the 2021 Thanksgiving enforcement period, Pennsylvania State Police Troop M was very active.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has corrected a decades-old flaw in state law that left severely mentally ill people behind bars indefinitely, and highlighted lingering problems for the man at the center of the case, and others like him.