Ed Lewis
The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
NEWPORT TWP., Pa. — Former Newport Township fire chief Daniel Kowalski, charged with obstructing firefighters at an emergency in January, was arraigned Tuesday on allegations he struck a fire police official directing traffic at a fire scene in December.
Daniel J. Kowalski, 58, of Alden Mountain Road, used his vehicle to strike Fredrick Kraft who was stopping traffic on Alden Mountain Road as firefighters battled a blaze Dec. 12, according to court records.
Court records do not say if Kraft was injured.
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Kowalski was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Halesey of Hanover Township on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, duty of driver in emergency response area, obedience to authorize person directing traffic, disorderly conduct, harassment, reckless driving and disregard traffic lane. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bail.
Kowalski was charged by township police on allegations he resisted arrest with an officer when he failed to leave the scene of a residential structure fire on West Main Avenue Jan. 22, court records say.
According to the criminal complaint:
Firefighters responded to 130 Alden Mountain Rd. for a structure fire where Kraft was instructed by township fire chief Jason Kowalski to stop traffic traveling north on Alden Mountain Road.
Kraft later approached an officer claiming Kowalski threatened to hit him with his fist out a car window, cursed and argued with him, the complaint says.
Police in the complaint say as Kraft approached an officer, Kowalski was observed driving through the scene in the opposite lane of travel striking Kraft in the leg and knee.
The lane of travel Kowalski entered to strike Kraft was blocked by fire equipment and there were no obstacles that would have required Kowalski to change lanes, the complaint says.
Kowalski told police he was forced to leave the fire scene earlier and felt he was targeted to stop.
During a brief phone interview after his arraignment Wednesday, Kowalski said he was idling in his driveway and observed Kraft allow approximately 20 vehicles pass through the scene until he pulled onto Alden Mountain Road and was forced to stop by Kraft.
"(Kraft) let 20 or so cars pass through and I was the last one car and he stops me,” Kowalski said. “I’m not worried about it. I got witnesses who saw what actually happened.”
Kowalski said he lives near the home that caught fire and helped remove the occupant from the burning house.
Kowalski was initially cited with a summary traffic offense that was withdrawn after Kraft formally filed a report, prompting police to add a felony aggravated assault offense.
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