Intelligencer Journal
LANCASTER, Pa. — A vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer accidentally struck a man standing in the road in Pequea Township on Thursday night, and then the officer was punched by a bystander when he tried to help the man, according to police.
The accident victim, Ross J. Novack, 22, of Pine Grove, was in serious condition Friday at Lancaster General Hospital. Novack was among a group of people who had gathered Thursday at a memorial for a man killed in a July motorcycle wreck.
The officer involved in the incident, Southern Regional’s John Michener, was treated for multiple facial fractures.
“His teeth are wired together because they were knocked loose,” Southern Regional police Chief John Fiorill said Friday. “He was hit multiple times. Just multiple times.”
Michener was treated at Lancaster General Hospital and released.
“They chose not to do reconstructive surgery,” Fiorill said. “The doctors are going to let him heal on his own. The broken bone around his eye is not going to effect his eyesight.”
The accident happened at 8:40 p.m. Thursday at New Danville Pike and Brenneman Road, Fiorill said.
A group of people had gathered at the two roads for a memorial for Ty Mowbray, a 20-year-old Pequea Township man who was killed July 12 at that intersection in a motorcycle accident.
Michener was southbound, going home after a family outing with his wife, his children and his mother in his car, when he came upon the memorial gathering.
Some motorcyclists or vehicle drivers were in the northbound lane doing a “burnout,” spinning their tires.
Novack was standing in the southbound lane, filming the burnouts, Fiorill said, as Michener approached in that lane.
“There was a huge plume of smoke,” Fiorill said, adding that the section of road has no lights.
Because of the smoke and dark conditions, Michener did not see Novack standing in the road and his vehicle struck him, the chief said.
Michener immediately stopped and tried to get out of his car to help the injured man, Fiorill said.
At that point, Bronson M. Peffer, 23, of Lancaster, approached Michener’s car, yelling and blocking Michener’s way, the chief said.
"(Michener) said, ‘I’m an off-duty police officer, certified in first aid. Let me out so I can help this guy,’” Fiorill said. “He said it multiple times.”
Peffer, whom the chief said had been drinking, stepped back. But as Michener got out of his car, Peffer struck him, police said.
“He sucker punched him multiple times, from the side and from slightly behind him,” Fiorill said. "(Michener) was trying to do first aid. He didn’t expect to get blindsided by this guy.”
Bystanders stepped in and pulled Peffer off Michener, the chief said.
Peffer was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness.
State police were called in to investigate the accident, Fiorill said.
Michener has been a police officer since 2001, when he was hired by Conestoga Township, which later joined forces with Pequea Township to form the Southern Regional department.
Copyright 2012 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.