State trooper suspended pending investigation of assault
A Pennsylvania State Police trooper from the Chambersburg barrack was charged with assaulting a suspect following a pursuit in February that ended in Adams County.
Trooper Israel T. Moore, 32, whose address was listed as the state police barrack on Black Gap Road near Scotland, Pa., was charged Tuesday by summons with second-degree misdemeanor simple assault, according to documents on file at Magisterial District Judge Mark D. Beauchat's office near Gettysburg.
Moore has suspended without pay pending resolution of the case, according to a state police news release.
Moore started pursuing a vehicle the night of Feb. 13, according to the charging documents filed by Sgt. Joshua Lacey of the state police Internal Affairs Division. Lacey did not include when or where the pursuit started. But it ended in a field at High Street and Lincoln Way in Franklin Township, which is about six miles from the Franklin County line.
As the driver of the vehicle, Robert F. Guilfoyle IV, was on the ground being handcuffed by Trooper Joshua K. Dunkle, Moore allegedly ran up and kicked Guilfoyle twice, according to the charging documents.
Mobile video and audio from the patrol vehicles the troopers were driving captured the kicks Moore made with his right foot, according to charging documents. The video showed that Dunkle had already restrained Guilfoyle's left arm and that Guilfoyle appeared not to be resisting arrest. Both Moore and Guilfoyle are white, according to court documents.
On March 8, Lacey interviewed Guilfoyle and Grace A. Hippensteel, who was a passenger in the vehicle. Guilfoyle said that while he was laying on the ground, he felt two thumps on the left side of his head, near his ear, according to the charging documents.
Hippensteel said she saw a trooper get out of his patrol vehicle and kick Guilfoyle in the head twice, according to the charging documents.
During an interview March 30, Moore told Lacey he kicked Guilfoyle with his right foot two times, but that he was aiming toward Guilfoyle's shoulder and upper arm, according to charging documents.
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Online court records show that Guilfoyle, 18, of Waynesboro, was arrested Feb. 13 by Moore on numerous charges, including fleeing and eluding police and escape, both felonies; recklessly endangering another person, a misdemeanor; and multiple traffic citations including failure to stop at a red light, speeding, passing unsafely, driving with expired registration and other counts.
He was arraigned and put in Franklin County Jail on Feb. 14, but posted $2,500 bail and was released Feb. 16, according to court records.
He was to have a preliminary hearing on the case Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge Kelly L. Rock, but the hearing was postponed to June 21 at 10:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Kristin D. Nicklas at district central court in Chambersburg.
This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: PA state trooper suspended pending assault investigation
