Reading man charged in Poconos crash after police chase that killed Reading woman

Apr. 27—State police said they charged a Reading man with vehicular homicide while driving under the influence after a crash last week in Monroe County that killed a Reading woman who was one of his passengers.

Noel Humberto Lugo, 36, was also charged with drug trafficking, possessing drug paraphernalia and two counts of reckless endangerment as well as vehicle code violations in the April 20 crash in Tobyhanna.

Lidia Burgos, 33, died in the crash. She was the front-seat passenger in the vehicle driven by Lugo. Troopers had stopped the vehicle in Stroud Township due to traffic and equipment violations and because they suspected the driver of being drunk, state police said.

According to troopers from the Stroudsburg station:

Lugo had an active arrest warrant and refused to get out of the vehicle when he was told to do so. He became combative with the troopers.

Lugo drove from the scene. Troopers pursued the vehicle for about 19 miles before it crashed into a wooded area.

Lugo and his other passenger were removed from the vehicle and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash.

Burgos was pronounced dead at the scene by a member of the Monroe County coroners' office.

Following arraignment before District Judge Danielle Travagline in Stroudsburg, Lugo was committed to Monroe County Prison without bail to await a hearing.

According to court records, Lugo pleaded no contest in Lancaster County Court in 2020 to indecently assaulting a person less than 13 years of age. He was sentenced to 11 months in prison in 2022 followed by 11 months of parole. He was ordered to undergo a sex offender evaluation before release.

Lugo is listed in the state police Megan's Law registry as a sexually violent predator, which requires lifetime registration as a sex offender.