SF Band Director, Limerick Woman Arrested

The Pottstown Mercury reported Spring-Ford Band Director John E. Eckstine Jr., 54 of Hagerstown (also lives in Royersford), was arrested on Wednesday night after what police describe as a "rolling domestic" occurred:

The Spring-Ford Area High School band director and a female acquaintance were charged after a domestic dispute where they allegedly were “weaving” through traffic on Route 422 before crashing on East High Street Wednesday evening, police and court papers indicate.

John Edward Eckstine Jr., 54, of Hagerstown, Md., and Jacqueline M. Alegado, 48, of Castle Drive, Limerick, were both incarcerated in Montgomery County Correctional Facility after they were arraigned on the charges Thursday and unable to post bail.

The two were allegedly weaving in and out of traffic in separate cars as the fight unraveled. The two later crashed on East High Street, involving a third vehicle. Alegado needed medical assistance, but things reportedly turned sour.

Police took both Eckstine and Alegado into custody and transported them to Pottstown Police Department until their arraignments. When Alegado was taken into custody, she allegedly said she was suffering from seizures and Goodwill Ambulance was called to the scene. Alegado allegedly said a racial slur word to a black EMT and then spit in the face of a female EMT, Foltz said. As a result, Alegado was also charged with ethnic intimidation.

Foltz said his department tries to determine who the aggressor is when they respond to reports of domestic violence, however, “in this case, it was hard to tell. When police responded, they weren’t victimizing one another, they were victimizing outside lives. The best measure was to arrest both parties.”

Eckstine faces multiple charges in the incident and the Spring-Ford Area School District has had a substitute in his place in his absence.

Eckstine was charged with stalking, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and related offenses. He was incarcerated in Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,000, 10 percent bail.

Spring-Ford Superintendent Goodin said Eckstine was still employed by the district as of Thursday and had not been suspended. Goodin said Eckstine was not in school Thursday and a substitute teacher took his place. Additionally, Goodin said substitute teachers will continue to take Eckstine’s place as long as he is out.

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