POLICE IN NEW YORK CITY ARE AWAITING THE RETURN OF A MAN ARRESTED HERE IN CONNECTION WITH A GRUESOME CAR CRASH THAT KILLED A PREGNANT WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND ON THEIR WAY TO A HOSPITAL. JULIO ACEVEDO HAS AN EXTRADITION HEARING SCHEDULED TODAY TO ADDRESS HIS RETURN TO NEW YORK. HIS SURRENDER WEDNESDAY EVENING IN A BETHLEHEM CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT WAS BROKERED BY A FRIEND WHO HAD BEEN IN TOUCH WITH POLICE. ACEVEDO IS SUSPECTED OF SPEEDING DOWN A BROOKLYN STREET AND CRASHING INTO A CAR CARRYING THE COUPLE. HE HAS TOLD THE DAILY NEWS HE WAS FLEEING A GUNMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO SHOOT AT HIM. THE COUPLE'S BABY WAS DELIVERED PREMATURELY BY CESAREAN SECTION AFTER THE SUNDAY CRASH BUT DIED THE NEXT DAY.
A MACUNGIE COUPLE NEED A GOOD LAWYER. JASON LAUGHLIN, WITH THE CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE, SAYS BLAKE BILLS AND SHAYNA SYKES FACE 49 CHARGES IN BOTH NEW JERSEY AND PHILADELPHIA AFTER ALLEGEDLY STEALING A POLICE CRUISER IN BOTH CAMDEN AND PHILADELPHIA ON TUESDAY. "THEFT OF AN AUTO IN PHILADELPHIA, A CHASE INVOLVING A CAMDEN POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS INJURED IN THAT CHASE AND AN ATTEMPTED CARJACKING CHARGE," LAUGHLIN SAYS THOSE ARE THE CHARGES THE COUPLE FACE. TUESDAY'S ARRESTS ENDED A STRING OF CRIMES THE COUPLE ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED. POLICE SAY BILLS AND SYKES WERE SPOTTED SUNDAY IN CAMDEN MAKING A DRUG BUY, BUT THEY FLED TO PHILADELPHIA AND ESCAPED AFTER A POLICE OFFICER PURSUING THEM CRASHED. MONDAY, THE COUPLE ALLEGEDLY STOLE THE CAR OF A FOOD DELIVERY DRIVER IN PHILADELPHIA. TUESDAY, THEY ARE ACCUSED OF TRYING TO CARJACK A WOMAN IN CAMDEN BEFORE STEALING A POLICE CRUISER THERE AND RUNNING INTO AN OFFICER BEFORE HEADING TO PHILADELPHIA. THERE, BILLS WAS ARRESTED BUT SYKES ESCAPED AND STOLE A POLICE CAR THERE. SHE WAS EVENTUALLY CAPTURED. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE A HEROIN ADDICTION PROMPTED THE CRIMES.
THE EMMAUS HIGH SCHOOL IS CLOSED TODAY DUE TO A BOMB THREAT. THE THREAT WAS RECEIVED LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, PROMPTING THE BUILDING TO BE EVACUATED AND ALL AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES TO BE CANCELLED. A STATEMENT ON THE EMMAUS HIGH SCHOOL WEBSITE ASKS PARENTS TO SPEAK WITH THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME FORWARD WITH ANY HELPFUL INFORMATION. EMMAUS HIGH WAS ALSO CLOSED FOR A DAY IN DECEMBER DUE TO A BOMB THREAT.
A 10TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST HIGH SCHOOL IS CHARGED WITH HAVING A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY. CHRISTOPHER MARTINELLI HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH HAVING THE RELATIONSHIP IN 2011. POLICE SAY THEY HAVE INTERVIEWED THE NOW 17-YEAR-OLD, WHO DESCRIBED THE RELATIONSHIP. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SUSPENDED MARTINELLI.
A WEDNESDAY NIGHT FIRE HAS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED THE PROTOCAM BUILDING ON CHERRYVILLE ROAD IN ALLEN TOWNSHIP. NO WORD YET ON WHAT MIGHT HAVE STARTED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES ARE REPORTED.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS INVITED THE TOP HOUSE BUDGET WRITERS TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR LUNCH TODAY. THE LUNCH DATE WITH BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PAUL RYAN AND RANKING DEMOCRAT CHRIS VAN HOLLEN FOLLOWS HIS DINNER LAST NIGHT WITH A DOZEN REPUBLICAN SENATORS, INCLUDING PENNSYLVANIA'S PAT TOOMEY. "IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND SPEAK WITH THE PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU MAY HAVE A MISTAKEN IMPRESSION ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES REALLY ARE," TOOMEY SAYS. THE SENATOR CALLS THE DINNER "A CONSTRUCTIVE EXCHANGE."
NINE JURORS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN THIS WEEK FOR THE CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL OF A PHILADELPHIA ABORTION PROVIDER. TWELVE JURORS AND SIX ALTERNATES WILL BE SEATED FOR DR. KERMIT GOSNELL'S TRIAL. HE IS CHARGED IN THE OVERDOSE DEATH OF A PATIENT AND THE DEATHS OF SEVEN BABIES ALLEGEDLY BORN ALIVE. POTENTIAL JURORS ARE BEING ASKED IF THEY OPPOSE ABORTION OR THE DEATH PENALTY. BOTH SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF ABORTION RIGHTS CAN SERVE AS LONG AS THEY PLEDGE TO BE FAIR TO BOTH SIDES. THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO LAST SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. THE 72-YEAR-OLD GOSNELL AND CO-DEFENDANT EILEEN O'NEILL HAVE PLEADED NOT GUILTY. SHE IS CHARGED WITH PARTICIPATING IN A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE AND PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE. EIGHT OTHERS HAVE PLEADED GUILTY BEFORE TRIAL.
PENN STATE SAYS IN A NEW LAWSUIT THAT ITS INSURANCE CARRIER ISN'T HONORING ITS LEGAL OBLIGATION TO COVER IT FOR CLAIMS RELATED TO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT BY FORMER ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH JERRY SANDUSKY. THE 18-PAGE COMPLAINT SAID IT HAS BEEN SUED OR CONTACTED BY 29 CLAIMANTS BUT THE PENNSYLVANIA MANUFACTURERS' INSURANCE COMPANY ISN'T PROVIDING COVERAGE. THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES BREACH OF CONTRACT AND BAD FAITH, SAYING PENN STATE IS ENTITLED TO DAMAGES AND COSTS. THE FILING LISTS FIVE LAWSUITS AND LETTERS FROM ATTORNEYS FOR 24 OTHER CLAIMANTS WHO HAVE CONTACTED THE UNIVERSITY RELATED TO SANDUSKY. SANDUSKY IS SERVING A 30- TO 60-YEAR PRISON TERM FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 10 BOYS, AND IS PURSUING APPEALS.
OFFICIALS FROM THE STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES ARE DUE TO ADDRESS A NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY PANEL THAT'S POISED TO CONSIDER DOZENS OF MEASURES IT PLANS TO IMPLEMENT FOLLOWING SUPERSTORM SANDY. AMONG THE MEASURES THAT THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE IS DUE TO CONSIDER TODAY IS A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A TIME FRAME FOR WHEN POWER WILL BE RESTORED AFTER A MAJOR OUTAGE. IF THEY EVENTUALLY BECOME LAW, OFFICIALS HOPE TO IMPLEMENT MOST OF THE MEASURES BY JUNE 1, THE START OF HURRICANE SEASON. STATE OFFICIALS SAY A COMPLETE REVIEW OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES' RESPONSE AFTER SANDY IS STILL ONGOING.
