A Bradford man who police say was intoxicated allegedly drove a backhoe through a work zone on U.S. Route 219, dumping dirt on the equipment and endangering people.
Todd Moonan, 56, of 874 High St., is charged with DUI along with fleeing police, which he allegedly did in the backhoe, and two counts each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person , second-degree misdemeanors and three counts. of criminal mischief: damage to property and reckless and careless driving, all summary offenses.
According to the criminal complaint, around 6:45 p.m. Monday, Bradford Township Police Officer Don Neel was stationed on South Avenue on a special detail to slow down vehicles for a construction project. A construction worker notified him that a man on the job site was damaging equipment and chasing people with a “chain loader.”
Neel responded to the job site and was told by a supervisor that it was Moonan “and he almost killed some workers,” and was now driving north on South Avenue. The officer saw a backhoe traveling northbound and activated his lights and siren. The backhoe did not stop, but turned onto East Warren Road and continued to 866 High St., where he pulled into the driveway and locked the backhoe. Moonan was the operator, and the officer noted that he showed signs of intoxication. The officer asked him what had happened, according to the complaint.
Moonan told the officer he was supposed to have an agreement with the crew from Mortimer’s Excavating to get the millings for the project. Her son had gone to the job site and learned the company was not honoring the agreement, according to the complaint. He went to the workplace and spoke with Curt Mortimer, who Moonan alleged made a disparaging comment about Moonan’s son. He left the job site but continued to think about the comment and said that with all the stress he was dealing with, he “went to the site and moved some dirt,” the complaint states.
Teams from Mortimer’s Excavating and Bradford Water Authority told a different story. According to them, Moonan drove his full-size Case backhoe through the construction site and onto adjacent land, which is owned by the Moonan family. Construction equipment and supplies were stored there by agreement. Once there, Moonan used his backhoe to scoop up a load of dirt with the front bucket and dumped it into a street sweeper and utility truck, hitting a staged water pipe and driving into two of Mortimer’s employees , dumping a load of dirt into one. of workers, requiring workers to stay out of the way, the complaint said.
The incident was captured on a mobile phone belonging to one of Mortimer’s crew members, who said Moonan made direct eye contact with him before driving towards him with the bucket raised several meters off the ground, according to the complaint
Moonan was arrested and arraigned before Acting District Judge Dave Engman in Kane. Bail was set at $5,000 and posted. Moonan is due in Central Court on June 29.
