Police Log Nov. 12: Kidnapping, aggravated assault

• State police from Troop K, Media barracks, charged a Warminster man with aggravated assault and kidnapping. According to a police report, Castavetti Braggs, 24, asked his girlfriend to pick him up at a friend’s house. When entering the car, he allegedly punched her in the face and then forced her at knifepoint to drive him to a hotel in Willow Grove. The report said Braggs repeatedly stabbed her while she drove along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and told the woman that he’d kill himself and her and that she’d never see her child again. The victim eventually talked him into letting her stop at the Hampton Inn in Concordville, where she was able to escape and call police. Braggs was in the hotel parking lot when troopers arrived, and he was taken into custody there at 1:25 a.m. on Nov. 9. The victim was taken to Riddle Hospital for treatment and evaluation.

• James R. Banks, 74, of Newtown Square, was cited for running a red light at Route 202 and State Farm Drive and striking another vehicle, according to a police report. No injuries were reported in the Nov. 5 accident.

• One driver was injured and cited following a four-vehicle, rear-ender accident on Route 1 at Conchester Road on Nov. 5. Police said Donna S. Kennard, 47, of Airville, Pa., struck a vehicle that was stopped at the traffic light. That car was forced into the rear of a third car, which was in turn pushed into a fourth. The report said Kennard was transported for treatment of a minor injury.

• State police from Troop K, Media barracks, reported the theft of $2,600 worth of merchandise from the CVS pharmacy in Concord Township. The report said video surveillance showed an unidentified black male take items from the shelves. He exited the store to put the items in a car, then returned and took more. Police believe the suspect is the same person who stole from the store on Oct. 11. The latest incident took place on Nov. 3.

• Someone reportedly took multiple rolls of Felt Paper and Ice, and Water Shield from a construction site at the Concordville Town Centre sometime between 4 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 9 a.m. on Sept. 24.

• No injuries was reported, but the driver involved in a one-vehicle accident was cited when her Honda Civic overturned on Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township. Police said Emily K. Besancon, 29, of Washington, D.C., was driving in the northbound lane when she lost control of the car and hit a guardrail. The car flipped over and blocked both northbound lanes at 10:14 a.m. on Nov. 1.

• Jennifer Adam, 37, of Media, was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance, according to state police. A report said Adam was stopped on Route 1 near Painters Crossing Condominiums at 12:43 a.m. on Oct. 24.

• A juvenile male from New Hope was also arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance following a traffic stop near the Concord Township Park at 9:15 p.m. on Nov. 4, police said.

• A stolen Porsche Cayenne was involved in a one-car accident on Beaver Valley Road on Oct. 14. A state police report said the car, driven by Blaise B. Ironstand, 19, of Jim Thorpe, was traveling east on Beaver Valley Road, but crossed over into the westbound lane while negotiating a right-hand curve on an incline, and then hit a telephone pole before coming back into the eastbound lane and hitting an embankment. Police said the car drifted because of excess speed. Ironstand and two passengers fled the scene, police said. Troopers found the occupants and discovered the car had been stolen from Delaware.

• Mykonos Boutique, in Glen Eagle Square, and one of its employees were ripped off to the tune of more than $4,000 on Nov. 7. A police report said an unidentified black female entered the store and purchased a sweater with a stolen credit card. The suspect entered an employees’ only area and stole a wallet, then used the card in Delaware to buy more than $4,000 worth of merchandise. The incident took place between 3:30 and 6 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call the state police at 484-840-1000.

• On Nov. 4, Julio Cesar Perez, 28, of Kennett Square, was arrested by the Kennett Township Police Department after a domestic assault in the 100 block of New Granite Way in Kennett Square, police said. Perez allegedly choked and bit the victim and slammed the victim’s head against the window of a vehicle, causing injuries of the face and neck. Perez was committed to Chester County Prison after failing to post $3,000 bail, police said.

• Kennett Square Police said they arrested Edgar Mendez-Hernandez, 31, of Kennett Square, PA, for DUI following an accident in the 400 block of West Mulberry Street on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10:28 p.m.

• On Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10:18 a.m., Kennett Square Police received a report that a resident of the 400 block of Birch Street received several phone calls from a subject who stated they were with the IRS and that the resident owed $2,000 in taxes and would go to jail if the money wasn’t paid. The same day, police received a similar report from a resident of the 700 block of Mason Avenue. Police advised the residents that this is a prevalent scam and that the IRS would not call and demand immediate payment of taxes.

• New Garden Township Police responded to an incident that reportedly occurred on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 4:50 p.m. The victim told police that he was followed into the New Garden Plaza by a male, later identified as Eduardo Alcantar, 43, of Kennett Square, in a black Chevy truck. Alcantar allegedly pulled in front of the victim’s vehicle, blocked his path, struck the vehicle with his hand, and then followed the victim east on West Cypress Street, where he repeatedly struck the victim’s vehicle from behind until the victim pulled into the Kennett Square police station. Alcantar was later taken into custody at his residence and admitted the conduct, police said.

• On Saturday, Oct. 24, at 5:06 p.m., New Garden Township Police responded to Baltimore Pike and West Cypress Street for a report of a two-vehicle crash. Upon arrival, the driver of the striking vehicle, Salvador Pineda-Tellez, 43, of Wilmington, exhibited signs of intoxication, failed field sobriety tests and was taken into custody for DUI, police said.

• On Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 10:22 pm, New Garden police observed a vehicle commit a moving violation at Baltimore Pike and Thompson Road. A traffic stop was conducted and the passenger, later identified as Cody Kinsley, 19, of Nottingham, was observed to be moving toward the floor of the vehicle. The odor of freshly burnt marijuana was detected while speaking with Kinsley. Kinsley admitted to hiding marijuana under his seat, which he retrieved and turned over. Kinsley was detained, and during a custodial search a metal grinder was located in Kinsley’s pants pocket. The driver, Zachary Sweeney, 21, of Landenberg, was asked to exit the vehicle at which time a clear baggie containing a green leafy substance was observed under his seat. A glass smoking pipe was also located in the glove box during the vehicle inventory search. Sweeney and Kinsley were processed and later released pending a preliminary hearing.

• On Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m., New Garden police were dispatched to a three-vehicle accident in the 8900 block of Gap Newport Pike. The investigation determined that the striking vehicle, operated by Pablo Escobar, 68, of Avondale, was travelling north when he crossed over the center double yellow lines and struck the first vehicle. Escobar continued northbound in the southbound lanes after the collision and struck another vehicle before finally stopping about 500 feet from the first collision. Escobar stated he was not injured but showed signs of impairment; field sobriety tests could not be performed due to his level of intoxication, police said. Escobar was taken into custody and released to await a preliminary hearing.