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HATFIELD CRIME

Woman accused of assaulting EMT while severely intoxicated outside Hatfield Royal Farms

Meghan Ashleigh Meschter, 37, of Douglassville, allegedly kicked a member of VMSC in the face while being secured on a stretcher.

Meghan Ashleigh Meschter, 37, of Douglassville, allegedly kicked a member of VMSC in the face while being secured on a stretcher.

  • Public Safety

A 37-year-old woman, who police accuse of being severely intoxicated outside the Royal Farms in Hatfield Township the afternoon of April 25, allegedly kicked an EMT in the face while being secured on a stretcher, according to an arrest affidavit.

Meghan Ashleigh Meschter, of Pinewood Drive North in Douglassville, has been charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault and minor offenses including public drunkenness, per court records.

At 2:33 p.m. on April 25, officers responded to the Royal Farms at 935 Bethlehem Pike for a report of an intoxicated individual sitting at the tables outside, who was also unable to stand without falling into the window, according to the affidavit. Police found Meschter sitting in an outdoor patio chair when they pulled up, and when she made eye contact with officers, she allegedly attempted to stand up, but immediately collapsed to the ground.

A spilled Wawa thermos was on the table, police said, and it smelled of alcohol. Furthermore, police allegedly smelled alcohol on Meschter’s breath, and she was described by police as unsteady and unbalanced, with slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes.

According to the affidavit, Meschter refused to answer how much she had to drink but later allegedly said she drank “half of a vodka.” Police called VMSC Emergency Medical Services due to Meschter’s alleged level of intoxication, but she refused medical treatment and was taken into custody for public drunkenness, police said.

After she was placed in the back of the police car, Meschter then changed her mind, police allege, and said she did want EMS treatment. According to the affidavit, EMS personnel asked Meschter provide a breath test to assist in their treatment, but she refused and sat on the ground.

Meschter was lifted onto a stretcher, but then used her right leg to allegedly kick an EMT in the right side of their face. According to the report, the strike was with enough force to stagger the victim backwards and cause immediate redness and swelling. VMSC then took Meschter to Lansdale Hospital for medical treatment of her intoxication, police said.

Meschter was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine, and she remains in jail in lieu of 10% of $20,000 cash bail, according to court records.

According to Pennsylvania court records, Meschter has three active criminal cases at the Common Pleas court level: Two in Chester County and one in Montgomery County.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.


author

Tony Di Domizio

Tony Di Domizio is the Managing Editor of NorthPennNow, PerkValleyNow, and CentralBucksNow, and a staff writer for WissNow. Email him at [email protected]. Tony graduated from Kutztown University and went on to serve as a reporter and editor for various news organizations, including Patch/AOL, The Reporter in Lansdale, Pa., and The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa. He was born and raised in and around Lansdale and attended North Penn High School. Lansdale born. St. Patrick's Day, 1980.