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By KRIS WERNOWSKY [email protected]
Sunday, December 12, 2004 Page: 10A
WILKES-BARRE – A Ross Township man arrested after a high-speed chase and
hit-and-run crash Thursday was moved into protective custody at the Luzerne
County Correctional Facility, a prison spokesman said.
Steve A. Martin, 31, remained in jail Saturday for lack of $50,000 bail.
Prison Lt. Joe Webby said Martin requested to be put in protective custody
to segregate himself from the rest of the population of the jail.
The victims in the crash, Wilkes-Barre residents Raymond Simon, 61, and
Vera Simon, 55, remained at Community Medical Center in Scranton on Saturday.
Hospital officials refused to give an update on the Simons’ conditions on
Saturday. As of Friday, they remained in the intensive care unit.
Police have investigated Martin’s connection to the February disappearance
of 22-year-old Phylicia Thomas and the 2001 disappearance of then 18-year-old
Jennifer Barziloski. He hasn’t be charged in either case. Martin knew both
woman, investigators have said.
Through their investigation into the disappearances, state police learned
Martin’s license was suspended because of a drunken-driving conviction.
On Thursday, police attempted to pull Martin over on Pennsylvania Avenue,
where the chase began. It ended at the intersection of Wilkes-Barre Boulevard
and Conyngham Street where Martin ran a red light and struck the car driven by
Raymond Simon.
Martin fled on foot and was arrested later in the bushes behind a
restaurant on Kidder Street. Martin was arraigned Friday on charges of
reckless endangerment, accidents involving death or injury, fleeing police and
other traffic offenses.