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John Paul Yuknavich charged with disorderly conduct, leaving scene of accident.
Yuknavich
PLAINS TWP. – Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Chief John Paul Yuknavich was cited with disorderly conduct and leaving the scene of an accident after Plains Township police alleged he struck a parked vehicle and yelled obscenities in public early Sunday morning.
The citations, which also include public drunkenness, failure to notify authorities about an accident, failure to notify authorities about an accident involving damage to an unattended vehicle, and careless driving, were filed Wednesday afternoon at the office of District Judge Diana Malast.
Yuknavich, 46, of East Northampton Street, Wilkes-Barre Township, was not charged with drunken driving due to the length of time when he was allegedly found intoxicated after the crash, Police Chief James O’Malley said.
Police said Yuknavich allegedly struck a parked vehicle in a parking lot near Harriet and North Main streets at about 1:10 a.m., and was found intoxicated inside a Skidmore Street residence causing a disturbance more than an hour later.
“When officers got to the house after the accident, there was a considerable time difference,” O’Malley said. “We couldn’t place him being drunk at the time of the accident.”
O’Malley said he felt comfortable with the citations that were filed.
Wilkes-Barre Township Assistant Fire Chief James Youkoski, 45, of Shannon Street, Wilkes-Barre, was cited with activating signals on an authorized emergency vehicle when not responding to an emergency.
Police alleged Youkoski picked up Yuknavich in a Wilkes-Barre Township fire command vehicle and briefly turned on its emergency lights on First Street for no reason.
Yuknavich and Youkoski could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The citations are summary offenses and will be mailed to Yuknavich and Youkoski.
Yuknavich faces $615 in fines, and Youkoski faces a $119.50 fine, according to the citations.
A summary trial will be scheduled if the two men plead not guilty to the citations.
According to a press release from Plains Township police, a hit-and-run crash was reported around 1:10 a.m. in the parking lot. A witness, who was not named, saw Yuknavich, in a white Chevrolet pickup, attempting to back into the parking lot. The witness said Yuknavich’s vehicle struck a Ford pickup. The witness told police Yuknavich then sped away at a high rate of speed.
Police said they located pieces of Yuknavich’s vehicle.
More than an hour later, police located Yuknavich’s pickup on Skidmore Street, about two miles away.
Police found Yuknavich at a home nearby. As police approached the home, a woman came to the door and told police Yuknavich was in the house and she wanted him removed.
Yuknavich was told by an officer to find a ride home due to him being intoxicated.
At about 3 a.m., police saw the Wilkes-Barre Township fire command vehicle picking up Yuknavich.
Around 4 a.m., the fire command vehicle was spotted by police driving on First Street, where it briefly activated its emergency lights. Police continued to follow the vehicle that stopped on First Street.
Police said Yuknavich exited the fire command vehicle, screamed obscenities at an officer and threatened to sue for harassment.