By Elizabeth Evans
The York Dispatch
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Charges have been dropped against the former longtime owner of the Goldsboro Marina, accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two local fire companies.
The York County case against 71-year-old Miles K. Hummer was dismissed on Thursday after Common Pleas Judge Michael E. Bortner ruled him incompetent to stand trial.
Hummer, of Harrisburg, has dementia brought on by a stroke he suffered in spring 2010 and remains in a rehabilitation facility under 24-hour care, his former defense attorney, Kent Patterson, has said.
Public defender Rebecca Knisely represented Hummer at Thursday’s proceeding, and said the judge based his ruling on a doctor’s findings.
“The doctor determined Mr. Hummer can’t be restored to competency with any amount of treatment,” she said.
Hummer served as treasurer of Goldsboro Fire Co. for more than 20 years until his stroke, police said. He was treasurer of Penbrook Volunteer Fire Co. in Dauphin County for 36 years, according to Penbrook Fire Chief Joe Nickle.
Prosecutor Justin Kobeski said he was hesitant to agree that charges be dropped, but had no better options.
“I spoke to the doctor ... who did the psychiatric evaluation, who said (Hummer) is only going to get worse. There’s no chance he’s going to get better,” Kobeski said. “On the other hand, the victims lost a lot of money in this case, and they’re never going to get it back. It just doesn’t seem fair.”
Missing money: In summer 2010, after Hummer fell ill, officials at Goldsboro and Penbrook fire companies discovered the missing funds. After an investigation, Newberry Township Police and Penbrook Police filed charges in York and Dauphin counties.
While serving as treasurer for Goldsboro Fire Co., Hummer wrote $203,201.94 worth of unauthorized checks over a 13-year period - payable to himself, to the Goldsboro Marina and to AT&T to pay his cell-phone bill, according to preliminary hearing testimony.
But Newberry Township Police said they were only able to charge him with embezzling $116,927 because PNC Bank did not keep records beyond seven years.
Fundraisers: Testimony also revealed there were numerous occasions in which fire-company volunteers or officials would simply give cash to Hummer to be deposited - money that was collected during fundraisers. No receipts were ever found indicating Hummer deposited that cash.
Penbrook Police said Hummer stole $112,157.64 from the fire company there.
Hummer’s Dauphin County case remains active for now, according to court records.
Goldsboro Fire Co. requires two officers’ signatures on checks, but Hummer allegedly got around that by having fire company president Denny Lebo sign blank checks, court documents state.
Police said Lebo had no idea Hummer was allegedly embezzling money.
Lebo has described Hummer as “a guy everybody trusted.”
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