Police: Man being chased runs into house filled with marijuana, packaging materials

HANOVER TWP. — A man operating a motorcycle initiated a pursuit with township police and ran into a residence on Oaklawn Avenue where a large amount of marijuana and packaging materials were discovered on Wednesday.

Court records say police spotted William Hemple Jr., 19, riding a motorcycle without a registration plate on Sans Souci Parkway at about 5:45 p.m.

Hemple turned around and noticed a police cruiser with its emergency lights activated behind him.

Police allege Hemple accelerated and turned onto Saint Marys Road and crested a hill causing an officer to lose sight of him. Other motorists who stopped along side the road signaled to the officer the motorcyclist was near South Main Street.

When officers reached the area of South Main Street and Saint Marys Road, they heard a loud exhaust coming from a motorcycle on Oaklawn Avenue where Hemple allegedly drove the wrong direction on the one-way road.

Officers learned Hemple abandoned the motorcycle behind 3 Oaklawn Ave. and ran into the house, court records say.

“A female opened the rear door and we entered in hot pursuit, still announcing our presence,” police wrote in the criminal complaint.

Hemple was arrested when he was found in the living room.

While officers were arresting Hemple, they noticed in plain view a plastic bag containing suspected marijuana.

Police obtained a search warrant signed by District Judge Joseph Halesey resulting in the discovery of a large amount of marijuana, packaged bags of marijuana, smoking devices and packaging materials, the complaint says.

Three marijuana plants outside the residence were also seized.

A bag of marijuana Fruit Loops were allegedly found in Hemple’s pocket.

Hemple allegedly told police he fled because he just purchased the motorcycle and wanted to get home.

Hemple was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo Jr. on three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing or eluding police and driving without a license. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $15,000 bail.

Police said Hemple’s roommate, Jordan Cornell, will be charged with drug offenses at a later date.