Borough woman facing false report, disorderly conduct, other charges after struggle with police
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – A Shenandoah woman is facing multiple charges after police say she called in a false assault last Thursday, resisted arrest when borough officers attempted to serve a trio of warrants, told her 10-year-old son to grab and toss drug paraphernalia which fell during the struggle.
Borough police were called to a home in the 200 block of West Coal Street Thursday afternoon around 3:30pm for reports of an assault. A 911 caller, later identified as Kritza Lugo Santiago, 31, of West Coal Street, called and said she was assaulted by a person moments before the call, then left, and was threatening her and her family, according to court documents. The other party was identified as Lugo Santiago’s brother.
Police arrived at the home to find the caller’s son on the porch. The arriving officer asked him if the brother was there, and if he just left, to both the child said no.
Lugo Santiago then exited the house and spoke to the officer, saying the brother was attempting to threaten them on Messenger. The officer asked to see the messages, and police say there were none which were threatening.
Following a previous call involving Lugo Santiago, police were advised of two active criminal warrants and a non-traffic warrant, from Lehigh and Schuylkill County respectively, and the officer contacted the county communications center for confirmation on the three, and if transportation to Schuylkill County Prison for the warrants would be requested. Lugo Santiago was then advised she wasn’t free to leave.
Lugo Santiago then suggested the officer wait outside for said confirmation, to which the officer declined, saying he was going to stay wherever she was until he received an answer. She then suggested the two both go outside. The officer followed behind and went to close the door when she tried to push past the officer to get back into the house, court documents said. The officer then attempted to place her in custody, and a struggle ensued, in the presence of her 10-year-old son.
A metal marijuana grinder fell from Lugo Santiago’s blouse during the struggle, police said, as well as a ziploc bag containing marijuana, which she told her son to grab and throw.
A second borough police unit was called and Lugo Santiago was placed in custody, continuing to resist. Police said she placed her legs in the doorjam of the police car to keep the door from closing.
Later in the day, around 8:30pm, the brother, who allegedly threatened Lugo Santiago, arrived at the police station on West Washington Street to drop off a copy of a Protection from Abuse Order, signed by Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer, Tamaqua. The brother and the pair’s mother said they had been in Tamaqua, filing the PFA, since a prior call involving involving the family. Asked if either called or messaged Lugo Santiago while they were gone, they both said no, and messages between the two and Lugo Santiago were shown, none of which were threatening.
Lugo Santiago was arraigned on Friday by Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker, charged with false alarms to agencies of public safety, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest, false reports to law enforcement, tampering with evidence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and disorderly conduct. Lugo Santiago was committed at the Schuylkill County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.
About Author
