Naked Heights teen breaks into house, swipes car, hits firehouse

SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – A teen from this West Mahanoy Township village is in Schuylkill County Prison after state troopers say he broke into a home, stole a car, and struck the Heights firehouse, all while naked, early Friday morning.

State Police at Frackville were called to 188 Virginia Avenue around 6:00am for a report of a naked male running in the street.

According to the criminal complaint filed today in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s office, Trooper Thomas Powell, arriving at the scene, spotted a 2019 Kia Sorento running a stop sign at Virginia Avenue and Swatara Road.

The Sorento crossed Swatara, driving through the parking lot of the Heights firehouse and striking the wall of the social quarters, coming to a rest inside the quarters.

Powell, approaching the vehicle, said in the complaint he observed a naked male, later identified as Damian Ray Hester, 18, of 218 Virginia Avenue, climbing into the backseat of the Sorento. Powell approached, asking for his name and about the crash. Hester said “it was in God’s hand,” Powell said.

Investigating the crash, troopers interviewed Crystal Boxer, who told them that the vehicle was hers, and she had watched Hester steal the vehicle from in front of her home. She had started her vehicle, and had gone back into her home to let the dog in, she told troopers.

While at the back door of her home, she heard a crash and an alarm sounding, and came out front to see a naked Hester at the wheel of her Sorento, which had just struck her boyfriend’s vehicle, pushing it into another parked car.

Boxer’s boyfriend, Brandon Cara, approached Hester and the Sorento, attempting to open the driver’s door, at which point Hester drove off at a high rate of speed, nearly striking Cara.

The crash dealt major structural damage to the social quarters of the firehouse. Around 3:30pm, the wall was boarded up and a fire engine was parked in front of the damaged area.

Prior to the crash, around 5:30am, troopers were told Hester had broken into the James’ residence adjacent to the firehouse. Patricia James told troopers that she was sleeping downstairs around when the front door opened. She had assumed it was a family member who had just left.

Her dog began to bark as she spotted Hester entering the home.

She yelled, and Hester retreated to the front porch. James slammed the front door and locked it, then grabbed a baseball bat and went to the front window, Powell said in the complaint.

Hester then came back to the front door, and, encountered by a yelling James, retreated once again.

Troopers were told that, around 5:55am, Mary Cooney was sitting in her car preparing to leave for work when Hester tried to get in. He pulled on her door handle, and, realizing the doors were locked, went up on her porch and wandered around.

Hester, then returned to the car, crawling up onto the hood of the car and jumping up and down, damaging the hood.

Hester was evaluated at the scene by medical personnel, relaying that he had recently used methamphetamine and marijuana. He was subsequently transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Schuylkill – East Norwegian Street, where blood samples were taken.

Hester was arraigned this afternoon by Kilker on felony charges of criminal trespass, and theft by unlawful taking, misdemeanors of DUI, reckless endangerment, indecent exposure, and criminal mischief, and summary traffic offenses.

He was committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $50,000 cash bail.

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Kaylee Lindenmuth

Kaylee Lindenmuth is a Shenandoah native with a passion for journalism and the community she calls home.

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