By Edward Lewis
The Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A city firefighter testified on Monday that he was in fear for his life when Thomas Goldsworthy stopped his vehicle inches away from him during a fire emergency on Barney Street on July 17.
Firefighter Thomas Heffers and firefighter Thomas Cross said Goldsworthy, 56, became upset and yelled obscenities at them because Barney Street was closed due to a fire.
Heffers said Goldsworthy nearly struck him with his vehicle. Police charged Goldsworthy with two felony counts of aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of simple assault, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and three traffic offenses.
After a preliminary hearing in Central Court on Monday, District Judge Paul Hadzick dismissed the two felony charges and forwarded the misdemeanor charges and traffic offenses to Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.
Heffers testified he was sitting in a fire engine at the intersection of Barney and Division streets as Cross hooked up a hose to a hydrant.
Heffers said he saw Cross talking to the driver of a Ford Taurus identified as Goldsworthy, who was yelling obscenities.
“I did hear him say, ‘I’ll run you the (expletive) over,’ ” Heffers testified.
Heffers got out of the fire engine and stood about five feet from the front of Goldsworthy’s vehicle. Heffers said he told Goldsworthy that he couldn’t drive on Barney Street due to a blaze firefighters were battling inside a home.
Heffers testified Goldsworthy accelerated, with the vehicle’s bumper nearly hitting him. Heffers said he placed his hands on the vehicle’s hood and informed Goldsworthy that Barney Street was closed.
“The vehicle came right up to my knees and I leaned forward on the car,” Heffers said, adding that he feared for his life.
Cross said Goldsworthy backed up and drove through the St. Aloysius Church parking lot. He provided police with the license plate number of the vehicle that was later found in front of Goldsworthy’s Barney Street residence.
Copyright 2008, The Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader