Domestic assaults among worst violence in Southwestern Berks in November

by Steve Reinbrecht

At least three men were charged with assaulting women in November in Southwestern Berks.

In one case, a man terrorized his girlfriend in a bedroom for hours, at one point choking her unconscious, South Heidelberg police said.

In that case, on Nov. 1, William M. Brown, of 132 Walters Ave., just south of Wernersville, was charged with aggravated assault and related offenses. He posted $25,000 bail.

And a young woman robbed a bank with a gun in Lower Heidelberg, probably the same woman who robbed a Spring Township bank three days earlier.

Those were among the worst crimes reported in Wernersville, Lower Heidelberg, South Heidelberg and Sinking Spring last month. In general, the 20,000 residents or so in the area lived in relative peace and safety, measured by police reports and 9-1-1 calls. All together, police reported 38 crimes in the four municipalities in November, up from the 35 reported in October.

As usual, domestic violence prompted many 9-1-1 calls and criminal charges. I gleaned these details from court records at District Judge Ann Young's office and the state website.

In the second domestic-violence report, a Sinking Spring police officer wrote that he could hear the sounds of a man and woman fighting, and a woman yell, “Get off me!” as he approached a house at 318 Windmill St. after midnight on Nov. 4 in response to a 9-1-1 call.

The victim told the officer that her jaw hurt after she and Jermickey J. Gumby, 43, fought because he had refused to give her a ride from Reading Hospital.

Gumby said he had only hugged her to comfort her. Gumby was charged with simple assault and posted $2,500 bail.

In the third domestic-violence report, a 9-1-1 call sent a Sinking Spring officer to 4222 Penn Ave. about 7 p.m. Nov. 29, where a woman told him that Christopher M. Endy, who was not there, had injured her when he grabbed her by the face and threw her on a bed. Police saw bruises on her face and elbow.

She said that she and Endy had argued over $15. The officer told her to call 9-1-1 when Endy returned, which she did, about an hour later. Endy, 43, described as 5 feet 9 inches and 230 pounds, denied assaulting her. He was charged with simple assault and he posted $5,000 bail.

In another violent crime, though not domestic, a drunken man forced his way into a Sinking Spring home about 7 p.m. Nov. 15 and attacked a man inside, breaking his eyeglasses with a punch to the face, according to a police complaint.

Police charged Jordan Ruiz, 20, with assault and relate crimes. He posted $75,000.

According to the complaint, the victim and other men were inside a house in the 1100 block of Sunset Road when Ruiz arrived and asked to come in and drink with them. The victim wouldn’t let him in, and Ruiz forced his way in and attacked the victim.

See the article about crime in August 2016 in Southwestern Berks.

See the article about crime in September 2016 in Southwestern Berks.

See the article about crime in October 2016 in Southwestern Berks.

In the bank robbery, Friday, Nov. 4, a young woman showed a gun to a teller in the OneMain Financial bank at 4631 Penn Ave., next to the Citizens Bank, and ran out with money, according to a report in the Reading Eagle. On Nov. 1, a young woman robbed a bank at 2137Penn Ave. In Spring Township. At the time, police said they believe one woman robbed both banks.

Police at each township did not return calls asking for updates.

In November, the Berks 9-1-1 center got calls for domestic trouble in Lower Heidelberg on Wooltown and Brownsville roads, Fairwood, Atlantic and Baywood avenues and Sabrina and Daniel streets.

In Sinking Spring, they got domestic calls from Elwyn, Oberlin, and Penn avenues, Sioux Court, Sunset Road, Vester Place, and Spring Crest Boulevard.

In South Heidelberg, from Omicron Place, Mellowbrook Drive, Aspen Avenue and Lambda Circle.

In Wernersville, from North Reber and Beckley streets and West Penn Avenue.

A report in Sinking Spring of a car theft Friday, Nov. 11, turned out to be a case of the driver forgetting where it was parked, and police helped the resident find it.

Lower Heidelberg police had no comment about a report of an aggravated assault the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 9, on Brownsville Road because it involved a juvenile.