A Lehighton man faces charges after he bit a state trooper while being arrested after being found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
Trooper Anthony Kingsley of the Pennsylvania State Police - Lehighton barracks filed an affidavit in the case against Anthony Gillette:
At 1:13 a.m. March 26, Kingsley and Trooper John Heffner were on routine patrol on Delaware Avenue in Palmerton when they saw a gray 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee pull out of the Convenient Mart at 643 Delaware Ave.
The Jeep had a broken exhaust and troopers could hear the Jeep speeding east on Delaware Avenue then north on Forest Inn Road, where it crossed the center double yellow lines, and the white fog line and swerved within its lane of travel.
The vehicle made a left-hand turn onto Boyer Farm Road, when the driver, Gillette, 42, abruptly stopped. When troopers stopped, Gillette said he did not have his proof of insurance.
Gillette said his exhaust was broken, and that he attempted to weld it earlier that day. There was a 12-pack of Heineken beer on the passenger’s front seat. Gillette said that it wasn’t open, but troopers saw the top of the case was opened.
Police asked Gillette to get out of the vehicle. Kingsley patted him down for weapons and removed a small screwdriver from his right front pocket and placed it on his rear bumper.
Gillette said that he only had “one beer tonight.”
Police tried to conduct a sobriety test, but Gillette became argumentative, saying “I have gotten mad and fought with cops before.”
Gillette said he refused to do the test.
When police tried to put him in custody, Gillette became argumentative and combative and resisted troopers.
While troopers were physically attempting to arrest Gillette, he bit trooper Heffner’s right shoulder.
Troopers were able to get Gillette to the ground and his right hand into the handcuff. Gillette made several comments about fighting with troopers, and that he bit Heffner because he “panicked.” Heffner had a one-inch abrasion on his right shoulder area.
A small clear red bag containing suspected methamphetamine was found in the car.
Gillette faces charges of aggravated assault; simple assault; resisting arrest/other law enforcement; driving under influence of alcohol/controlled substance; intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; disregard traffic lane; disorderly conduct - engage in fighting; harassment; have improper muffler; obscured, covered or inhibit visibility of plate; fail to signal; and violate hazard regulation.
He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $150,000 monetary bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing April 7 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.