default Photo by James Short.
The Franconia Township teenage driver of a Ford F250 pickup that injured a Towamencin Township Police Officer in a crash in May at Forty Foot and Detwiler roads has been charged with misdemeanor simple assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor reckless endangerment of another person.
Cameron Michael Allen, 19, of the 900 block of Harcourt Lane, also faces lesser charges of reckless driving, failure to stop at a red light, illegal racing, and exceeding the speed limit by 45 mph, according to charging documents.
On May 18, at 7:13 p.m., Towamencin Police responded to the intersection for a report of an accident involving Officer Konig, who was driving a police SUV west on Quarry Road to a non-emergency medical call, police said.
Upon arrival, police found Konig’s SUV heavily damaged on the driver’s side door in the middle of the intersection; a 2019 white Ford F250 pickup with heavy front-end damage was also at the scene, police said.
By James Short Konig was able to exit his SUV on the passenger side and was found sitting on the curb, police said, but was not seriously injured.
Seconds later, VMSC Emergency Medical Services arrived and evaluated Konig, police said, and he was taken to Grand View Hospital for treatment.
Konig suffered a possible concussion and several abrasions and lacerations, with pain in his shoulder, back and pelvis, police said.
Police made contact at the scene with Allen, who had redness on his forearm caused by airbag deployment, but was uninjured, police said.
Allen told police he was driving north on Forty Foot Road – posted for 35 mph – at 70 mph, per the affidavit, and claimed he hit his brakes about 300 feet before the intersection. However, the truck continued to slide into the intersection, striking Konig’s police vehicle. Police said the roadways was wet due to rain.
Witnesses told police Konig had a green light at the time of the crash, per the complaint.
With the assistance of Hatfield Police, Towamencin investigators could not locate any pre- or post-impact tire or road marks, according to charging documents.
Police said Allen’s truck had larger-than-normal wheels that extended beyond the body line of the truck, and there was no visible damage or defects of the brakes. Furthermore, there was no fluid leaking near any of the wheels, police said. Everything showed police that the trucks was functional, police said.
During the investigation at the scene, police received notification that this news organization had posted an article about the crash and a photograph, per the affidavit. Upon viewing the article, police recognized the truck from an earlier incident at 7:05 p.m., police said.
At that time, police saw Allen’s truck south on Forty Foot Road while being photographed by another vehicle, per the complaint. The photographer was hanging out of the vehicle while doing so, police said. Authorities concluded that Allen was headed to the Royal Farms on Sumneytown Pike at Towamencin Avenue, police said.
Police said a passenger in Allen’s truck told them that Allen started to brake “near the red brick house,” which ended up being 1153 Forty Foot Road, about 395 feet away from impact.
According to data collection, police said Allen had five seconds to brake for the red light and four seconds for the yellow light.
Using the truck’s advanced infotainment system records, police were able to verify that Allen drove from Cabela’s in Hamburg at 6 p.m. on Route 61 to Route 78, and then to Route 309 South, police said. While on Route 78, police allege Allen drove at a maximum of 105 mph, and up to 90 mph on Route 309 South in Quakertown.
Data showed Allen left Royal Farms at 7:11 p.m., and by the time he gets to Walgreens, he accelerates rapidly, police said.
Within eight seconds, police said, Allen’s truck went from 54 mph to 86 mph in the 35 mph zone of Forty Foot Road. By 1111 Forty Foot Road, the truck was at 79 mph, which was 200 feet prior to impact, police said.
A summons was issued for Allen on Aug. 9, per court records. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
