Two Men with Ties to BU Arrested for Auto Theft; Incident Caught on Surveillance Video
BloomUtoday.com Staff 02.MAR.09
Bloomsburg-
Two men are facing charges after they stole a car early Saturday morning. The incident was caught by a surveillance camera monitoring the parking lot behind Jo-Jos Pizza.
According to Bloomsburg police around 1 AM Saturday an officer observed a car traveling north the wrong way in the 200 block of Iron Street. The car then turned onto East Main Street. The officer was attempting to stop the 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix on Lightstreet Road when the driver dramatically turned the car left onto Fetterman Avenue. The car accelerated at a high rate of speed down Fetterman Avenue and stopped at the end of the road. The officer ordered the driver to turn off the car and observed the car travel in reverse almost hitting his police car. The officer ordered the driver to stop a second time. The driver finally stopped the car.
Additional officers arrived on scene and placed the driver and passenger into police custody. The driver was identified as Bloomsburg University student Luis Rivera, age 21, of Palmerton. The passenger was identified as recent BU grad Kenneth Zielaznicki, age 23, of Drums. Both men were members of the Delta Pi fraternity. The fraternity is currently under suspension from a underage drinking party bust that occured in September of 2008.
When police asked who the car belonged to Rivera stated he was not driving any vehicle. Police observed slurred speech, blood shot eyes, and an odor of alcohol coming from Riveras breath. Rivera was taken to the DUI booking center where he refused to take a breath test.
Police were later dispatched to Jo-Jos Pizza located at 134 E Main Street around 2:14 AM. Business owner Joseph Yannone said he had video footage of individuals stealing a car from the parking lot on East Pine Avenue.
Police were able to determine that it was the same car involved in the previous incident involving Rivera and Zielaznicki. Police observed Rivera empty the contents of a trash can and later throw it at a vehicle. Police also observed Rivera and Zielaznicki enter two vehicles in the parking lot. Rivera entered the drivers seat of the 95 Pontiac and Zielaznicki entered the passenger seat. Rivera then drove off westbound on East Pine Avenue.
Rivera was charged with conspiracy to commit theft, theft, fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving under the influence, driving under the influence highest rate of alcohol, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license DUI related – while under the ARD program, and interfering with the contents of a trash receptacle. Rivera was arraigned by the on call Magistrate and placed in Columbia County Prison with bail set at $50,000.
Zielaznicki was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit theft, and theft. Zielaznicki was also arraigned and placed in Columbia County Prison with bail set at $25,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 10th.
- BloomUtoday.com
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