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Local News Article

Quakertown Man Slams Vehicle into Police Cruiser

Written by Kelly Chandler, Staff Writer
2013-01-02

East Greenville man taken into custody as three flee police

A 22-year-old man, who was already scheduled to spend Christmas Eve with the authorities, allegedly stole a car in Quakertown Dec. 21 and rammed it into a police cruiser.

Quakertown Police said Monday the man, identified as Nikolajs Villafane, no fixed address, stole the 1995 Buick Riviera from a female resident at the Bush House, 200 W. Broad Street, after the woman told him she couldn’t give him a ride to Red Hill.

According to court documents, Villafane stole the keys from the woman’s kitchen table before leaving her apartment. The woman, who didn’t know Villafane’s name, notified police a short time later, when she discovered her car was missing from the parking lot, authorities said.

While on patrol around 3:30 p.m. that day, police said they saw the subject, identified as Villafane, get into the stolen Buick on Saylor Alley. When police pulled in behind him, Villafane allegedly backed out of the parking spot at a high rate of speed, hitting the police cruiser’s passenger side bumper.

Police said Villafane drove west on Saylor Alley for approximately five blocks at speeds in excess of 50 mph before turning left onto S. 7^th Street and ditching the vehicle. Arresting officer Patrolman Kris Baccari said three people ran from the car, Villafane, a woman identified as Caitlin Emman, 27, no fixed address, and a man later identified as Branden Millsip, 22, of the 200 block of Bank Street, East Greenville.

Quakertown and Richland Township police captured and arrested Millsip, who allegedly resisted arrest and was forcibly handcuffed.

Villafane and Emman, who, while fleeing authorities threw her jacket and purse containing identification into a nearby alley, were apprehended by Quakertown Police around 10:30 that night. Police have charged Villafane with theft, aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass, unauthorized use of an automobile, fleeing or attempting to elude police, disorderly conduct and traffic offenses in Quakertown District Court.

He was arraigned Dec. 24 by Judge Jean Seaman of Jamison and bail was set at $75,000. He was later transported to Bucks County Prison. He was previously scheduled to appear in front of Judge Seeman Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. for a preliminary arraignment on unrelated drug charges.

Villafane will appear Jan. 7 in Jamison for a preliminary hearing for the Dec. 21 incident.

Quakertown Police also charged Villafane Dec. 26 with felony burglary charges for breaking into Popeye’s Restaurant, 105 South West End Boulevard, September 30, 2012.

Emman, according to police, was charged with receiving stolen property, theft, and resisting arrest. She was wanted on a warrant from the Bucks County Sheriffs Department and was taken to Bucks County Prison.

Millsip was arrested for receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was remanded to Bucks County Prison after being unable to post $20,000 bail assigned by Judge Seeman.

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