By Michael Buck
Eastern Pennsylvania Express Times
BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — A township woman has been arrested on charges she left a bouquet of half-dead roses and a threatening note for a police sergeant at the township’s station, court records say.
Inez Marie Melo, 49, of the 3000 block of Hecktown Road, allegedly left the flowers and note Friday for Sgt. Gregory Gottschall on top of a police cruiser and drove away.
According to court records, the note, which included several errors, reads as follows:
“Gutshall, I’m giving you these 1/2 dead roses ... their pretty much like you ... 1/2 dead. I hate you and your kind & I hope lightning strikes you tonight.”
The incident was the culmination of a series of frequent visits by Melo to the township’s police station since she was arrested in February, township police Capt. George Boksan said Monday.
Boksan said Melo was arrested and charged with several offenses following a Feb. 10 incident at her home. He said Melo made ranting statements to Northampton County dispatchers that caused police to respond to her home that day.
Melo refused to let police inside and started lighting items on fire, Boksan said. Police eventually forced their way into the home, he said.
She was arrested and charged with dangerous burning, disorderly conduct and four counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Three counts of the latter charges were dismissed; the fourth was withdrawn; and a disorderly conduct charge was also dismissed. She pleaded guilty to the dangerous burning charge in April, according to court records, which did not indicate what sentence she received for the crime.
After her arrest, Boksan said, Melo started visiting the township’s police headquarters often. The visits were so frequent that on Wednesday, Gottschall warned Melo that any further visits would result in criminal charges, court records say.
On Thursday, Melo again went to police headquarters, which is in the 4200 block of Easton Avenue, and was found by officers on a blanket behind police cruisers “sunning” herself, records say.
The next day, she allegedly left the flowers and note.
She is charged with stalking, making terroristic threats and criminal trespass. She was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Copyright 2010 Eastern Express Times