Charges against Mahanoy pair accused of vandalizing vehicles waived for court
MAHANOY CITY – Charges against a pair of young adults accused of vandalizing vehicles in this borough have been waived for court.
Thomas Whah, 18, and Jackie Bodnar, 19, both of 1228 East Centre Street, appeared in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s Shenandoah courtroom Thursday morning on conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and disorderly conduct charges.
Mahanoy City Patrolman Derek Weicikosky filed charges against the pair on Jan. 31 for an incident Jan. 16 in the borough.
In his criminal complaint, Weicikosky said police were called to the Trac 6 gas station for a report of multiple people wearing ski masks, armed with knives, destroying vehicles.
Police made contact with witnesses at the Cocoa Hut convenience store downtown, who said a group of males approached them, allegedly with knives in a threatening manner, and did damage to two of their vehicles.
One victim said that one of the males threw a brick through their windshield. The actor was identified as Whah and, when police made contact with the group a few days later, Whah said he did damage that victim’s windshield.
Dashcam footage from an off-duty state trooper’s personal vehicle showed the group — Whah, Bodnar, and the juvenile — chasing the victim’s vehicles westbound on East Centre Street. The victim turned south onto South 12th Street to escape, at which point Bodnar through a brick at the fleeing vehicle.
Both Whah and Bodnar waived their right to a preliminary hearing, and will appear in Schuylkill County Court. A court date in Pottsville has not been set.
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