Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — Police are still searching for a man that is accused of trying to strangle an infant and later escaping police custody Monday.
City police are searching for Derek V. Reich, 28, of Wilkes-Barre.
Officers responded to a local medical facility at 4:20 p.m. Monday for a report of an infant and mother assaulted.
Through the course of the investigation, officers learned the mother of the infant allegedly caught Derek Reich, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, trying to strangle the 6-month-old infant.
Police said the woman intervened and stopped Reich, and he then allegedly struck her several times in the head and face when she confronted him.
Shortly after that call at 4:24 p.m., officers encountered Reich while assisting EMS with a suspected heroin overdose on Barney Street. Police allege Reich initially provided a false identification to officers, but he was positively identified by an officer on the scene.
Reich was then taken into custody and escorted to a patrol vehicle for transport to police headquarters. While an officer was placing Reich into the patrol vehicle, Reich allegedly broke free of officers and fled on foot.
After a brief foot pursuit, Reich eluded officers.
Police described Reich as 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds. The police report did not give any other details.
Anyone with information on Reich’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department at 570-208-4200.