Superbowl Sunday Smash Up at "Safety" First

As regular readers of this blog know, I had no trouble exposing Washington Tp Police Chief Scott Miller his over one-vehicle crash on January 6 at Michael Drosnock's home along Kessersville Rd in Plainfield Township. Last week, I began hearing even more disturbing rumors. This time it involved a magisterial district judge, Rich Yetter. Some say he was involved in four separate hit-and-runs after a night of drinking on Superbowl Sunday at the Safety First Fire Company in West Easton. Others were saying that he himself was not driving, but was a passenger in his Ford Excursion, which plowed into several vehicles. Neither of these rumors is true. So what exactly happened?

I have spoken to Wes Beers, Jr and Sr. They own two of the three vehicles hit. Wes Jr.'s daughter Jayde owns a a third vehicle. Their cars were in their driveway located next to the Safety First parking lot. Jayde actually witnessed what happened. Her story is corroborated by surveillance video maintained by the beers.

What Jayde witnessed is a big SUV making a big circular turn in the Safety First parking lot, after which it jumped a curb and hit the vehicles owned by her father and grandfather. Then it backed up over the curb and hit Jayde's car.

Wes, Jr and Jayde say the damage to their cars was minor. But the damage to Wes, Sr.'s car was substantial:

The rear quarter panel will have to be replaced.

After this, the SUV left the parking lot and headed south on Keystone Avenue. Unbeknownst to the Beers, the SUV slammed into a fourth vehicle parked along Keystone.

This vehicle had just been purchased, and was declared a total loss.

The Beers, who are members at Safety First, went into the club to find out who had just left. A bartender gave them the name, Craig Sprague, which was gleaned from his credit card receipt.

This information was relayed to Pennsylvania State Police, and troopers confronted Sprague, at his home, shortly after midnight. Sprague acknowledged he had been at Safety First with Shawn Hockman. He was the sole passenger in the SUV, which was being driven by Hockman. Sprague was unable to recall whether any vehicles were hit in the Safety First parking lot, but did remember that Hockman hit a red truck parked on Keystone.

After this, and it is now around 3 am, troopers confronted Shawn Hockman at his home. He said he had borrowed Magisterial District Judge Rick Yetter's Ford Excursion because his own vehicle was in the shop. He admitted he had been at Safety First with Sprague, and had driven him home. He said he was unaware he had hit anything.

Troopers looked at the Ford Excursion, which was parked at the rear of Hockman's property. They observed fresh damage along the front left and red paint chips in the damaged area. They also noted that the tire patterns on the Excursion matched the tire patterns detected in the mud at Safety First parking lot.

You can read the troopers' report here.

Hockman has been charged with one count of leaving the scene of an accident without making an effort to locate the owner or provide proof of insurance. This is a summary offense carrying a  maximum fine of $300 or 90 days in jail.

I question why troopers failed to file at least two counts since there was substantial damage to Wes Bees, Sr. More importantly, I question why Hockman was not requested to submit to a blood test. He was clearly intoxicated, and should have been charged.

On Friday, I spoke with Magisterial District Judge Rich Yetter. He was deeply embarrassed by the matter and aware of the rumors. He told me that he had lent his Ford Excursion to a friend whose car was in the shop. He said it's something he's done before. He said his parents told him, from age 17, never to lend his car to anyone. But Hockman was a close friend. He and Sprague both coached PeeWee football with him. Now he is in danger of being dropped by his insurance company, and rumors are circulating.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Ironically, the charges against Hockman have been filed with Yetter. But he told me he is recusing himself and has already requested the matter be assigned to someone else.

I also reached out to Shawn Hockman, the driver. This is what he told me, via text message:

I went to see a lawyer a couple weeks ago after this incident happened. After we exchanged messages yesterday, I was able to talk to my lawyer and he said that I really can't talk about this incident because whatever you report in your blog could be used against me in court and i haven't even got my charges yet.
But because you reached out to me I feel like I should at least give you the courtesy of some type of response because I feel terrible for the position I put my friend in.
I borrowed Rick's truck to drive back and forth from work while my Jeep was getting worked on in the shop. I'm incredibly embarrassed and sorry for what happened and the position that I put Rick in as a public figure. He didn't want to talk to me the day after but we exchanged text messages about what had happened. I text him that I was extremely sorry and that I knew I put him in a bad position because he is a judge. His response text was something along the lines of ... the hell with that, somebody could've been hurt.
This made me feel even worse.
And now my friend is in an embarrassing situation and his truck is wrecked. I feel terrible.
long story short, I've been in counseling for the past three weeks.

I hope that includes alcohol counseling.