9 charged with riot in Lansford
Three juveniles suffered serious injuries during a large fight in Lansford borough last month. Now, nine people, ages 12 to 41, are facing felony charges for their part in the incident.
Casey Rodweller, 34; Richard Rodweller, 41; and Arthur Rodweller, 20, have all been arraigned on various charges and released on $100,000 unsecured bail.They are each facing a felony charge of riot as well as related misdemeanor charges for their part in the fight.Three other juveniles, including the 12-year-old male, are also facing felony riot charges. Their names were not released because they are under 18.The fight took place around 9:30 p.m. on June 15 outside the Turkey Hill Minit Market on the unit block of West Patterson Street.Two youths suffered broken noses and facial lacerations while another suffered hearing damage during the fight, which involved approximately 16 people.Neighbors tried to intervene in the fight, but two of the suspects threatened them.Police said they used surveillance video to identify some of the suspects, because some participants refused to cooperate with police.Lansford police said the incident started when a group of teens got into an argument with a man, later identified as Arthur Rodweller, who was threatening to assault them while they were at a friend's house along West Patterson Street. They said Rodweller gave a Bowie knife to a 12-year-old boy with him to hold during the argument. Arthur Rodweller left while saying he would return with more people, the affidavit states.A short time later, Arthur Rodweller returned with a group of people allegedly armed with knives, including his father, Richard, and mother, Casey, and confronted the teens.A teen said a man punched one of his friends in the face, and the fight ensued. During the fracas, he said, he was punched in the face by a man identified as Arthur Rodweller, causing a nose fracture and facial laceration.Police also interviewed Arthur Rodweller, who said he had broken his hand during the fight.Rodweller said he returned to the Turkey Hill with his mother, Casey, and was jumped by several males.He allegedly told police the argument preceding the fight started because the juveniles asked his 12-year-old brother what he was looking at.He said he was not going to let his brother be disrespected.An employee at Turkey Hill told police she saw the fight and told them to leave.She said that the teens attempted to leave, but the adults continued to fight them.She saw a female neighbor try to stop the fight, and said that she was threatened by Richard Rodweller.Lansford Police are still looking for James Beard, 30, who returned to the store with Arthur Rodweller. Two additional suspects, Phil Argott, 19, and Hunter Skidmore, 19, agreed to turn themselves in Wednesday, police said on their Facebook page Monday evening.Lansford Police are also investigated a stabbing that occurred one hour after the fight at the home of one of the suspects, and was possibly related.The victim, who reportedly suffered multiple stab wounds, refused to cooperate with police, Chief Jack Soberick said. That investigation is still open, but inactive.