Police: Abanto fled in girlfriend’s car, car found across town
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Shenandoah fire marshal Thomas Swantek washes blood off the intersection of North West and West Mount Vernon Streets on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.
SHENANDOAH – A borough man is still at large, wanted for striking his neighbor in the head with a metal pipe yesterday, though police found the vehicle he fled in.
According to the court papers, Junior Anderson Abanto, 38, of 9 North West Street, is wanted on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and disorderly conduct.
Borough Police Patrolman William Moyer said in his criminal complaint that, at 2:54pm Tuesday, he was dispatched to the area of 26 North West Street for a fight in progress.
There, he found multiple people in the street and blood “all over the roadway and both sides of the street.”
He followed the blood trail to 13 North West Street, where he found the victim, 76-year-old Rigoberto Hernandez, bleeding from the head and being held up by another male.
Medical personnel from Shenandoah Ambulance arrived and began treating Hernandez.
Moyer added that he spoke to Abanto’s girlfriend, who said that Abanto and Hernandez had “exchanged words” in front of her 9 North West Street home.
The altercation escalated and became physical, and Abanto attacked Hernandez, striking him several times, Moyer said in the complaint.
Abanto then fled in his girlfriend’s white Hyundai Tucson.
Hernandez told Moyer than he had been struck in the head with “some type of metal pipe.” He was transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville via air medical for head injuries.
Later, the Hyundai was located by State Police in the 300 block of South Jardin Street. The vehicle had blood on the hood and right-front headlight.
Officers spoke to neighbors, none of whom had seen the vehicle arrive or where the driver had went.
The Hyundai was subsequently impounded.
An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday afternoon for Abanto on charges of Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Reckless Endangerment, and Disorderly Conduct.
Anyone with information as to Abanto’s whereabouts should contact the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-462-1991.
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