Witnesses Testify in Eckstine Case

 for John E. Eckstine, former Spring-Ford band director, and Jacqueline M. Alegado, a Limerick woman and band parent, were held last Thursday. During the hearings, multiple witnesses testified.  from Eckstine's case, while Alegado was held on all charges. Both cases will go to the Court of Common Pleas in Norristown on July 5.

Below are accounts from multiple witnesses in the case.

Limerick Police Detective Ernie Morris

Morris, a 15-year veteran of the Limerick Police Department, saw the aftermath of a  in the residential area where he resides. He was off duty at the time when he saw several people on both sides of the roadway.

When attempting to find out who was involved in the accident, Morris said he approached Eckstine, who "just stood there." Eckstine did not respond to any questions, therefore Morris first assumed he was a witness to the accident.

Morris said he called dispatch and Officer David Slothower arrived on scene. Morris said he recognized Alegado from "previous incidents" and told Slothower there might be something more to this than it just being a vehicle accident.

All of a sudden, Morris said Eckstine ran up to the white Chevrolet that Alegado was in and started "banging on the window." Morris said throughout the time Alegado was in the car, he saw her laughing, using a cell phone, in a state of shock, crying, and "spooked." The officers tried to grab Eckstine and had to escort him away from the car.

"I got to get the phone," Eckstine said, over and over again, according to Morris. Eckstine was told "at least 10 times" to relax, but Morris insisted Eckstine continued to harp on a cell phone.

Morris said he spoke to witnesses on scene but took no official statements. He added that witnesses reported the woman (Alegado) caused the accident, but she and Eckstine were fighting in the roadway.

It was later determined in the investigation that Eckstine's car was not involved in the accident and was parked further down the road.

Cross-examination of Morris revealed that he did not see the two driving, any physical contact between the two, simple assault, stalking or fighting. The cross also revealed that no one tried to determine whose phone Alegado was using in the car she was in. Morris defended reckless endangerment charges, however.

"From what I saw, he would have done anything he could to get in that vehicle," Morris said. "He banged on the window more than 10 times."

Lower Pottsgrove Officer David Slothower

Slothower has been an officer since 2003. He reported he just got on duty at 7 p.m. when he heard about the vehicle accident on E. High Street. He responded to the area and got information from Morris. Officers attempted to get the vehicles out of the roadway as they were blocking traffic.

The white Chevrolet and a black Pontiac were both reported to have front end damage. There were several witnesses on the lawns of the surrounding residential properties.

Slothower said he observed Eckstine slapping on the window of the Chevrolet, which Alegado was inside of. When officers restrained Eckstine, Slothower reported he was not acting normal.

"He was non-responsive," Slothower said. "Off in space. Preoccupied."

It was also reported that Slothower heard the original dispatch of a "domestic" incident at 6:28 p.m. earlier that evening where a pedestrian man was almost hit by several cars on 422. Eckstine and Alegado were allegedly pulled over by another Lower Pottsgrove officer about three to four miles away from where the vehicle accident eventually occurred.

Alegado told Slothower on scene that she was being chased by Eckstine and admitted to being involved in the earlier incident. Eckstine allegedly had scratches on his neck at the time of the crash. Slothower asked Alegado how that happened.

"She said 'he pushed me down and I scratched him,'" Slothower explained. "She had a scrape on her knee and a ripped finger nail."

Eckstine told officers Alegado keyed his car, which caused him to push her down. Alegado attacked him as a result of the physical contact. Slothower also referenced that Eckstine repeatedly told officers that Alegado had his cell phone. Alegado denied that she had his phone to officers. Eventually the two were both taken into custody.

"Mr. Eckstine admitted he used poor judgment in trying to get his phone back," said Slothower. "He was apologizing in the back seat of the police car. He said he screwed up his whole life tonight. He said he wanted to  from his job and was worried about the state of his marriage."

Slothower said he explained to Eckstine that he put a lot of lives at risk that evening all over a stolen cell phone.

Cross examination caused Slothower to admit that Eckstine's story about how subsequent injuries to both parties occurred made the most sense and that Alegado's broken nail could be consistent with scratching Eckstine's neck.

Lower Pottsgrove Lieutenant Michael A. Foltz

Foltz looked at and confirmed several photos of Alegado's injuries during his testimony, which he took while she was incarcerated and a few days after she posted bail.

Michael Pullett

Pullett, an operations manager for waste management in the area, was a witness to the accident. He said he was on his way back from a tenant property when he sat at a red light. At the light, he said he saw two cars coming down near Arm and Hammer Boulevard, one chasing the other (white in front, blue in back).

He further explained the white car pulled in front of him by passing him in a turning lane and the blue car followed behind it at a following distance that was not determined to be safe.

"They were going quick," Pullett testified. "When traffic stopped, they rode the shoulder down."

Pullett said their driving was "radical" and a number of cars were on the roadway. He then said he watched the white car pull over to the side of the road further down the hill, and the blue car passed it, went further down and pulled over.

He then testified he saw Eckstine run up the hill and that was when he pulled over.

"He looked aggressive," said Pullett. "I was going to help her if he put his hands on her."

Pullett then explained that Alegado, driving the white car, attempted to make a U-turn into traffic and struck the black Pontiac. After the crash, Pullett said Eckstine kept coming and when Alegado got out of the car, the two fought over the cell phone. An officer reportedly came over to break everything up.

Michael J. McConney Sr.

McConney, a retail merchandiser at Hallmark, was exiting the Kmart shopping center by the firehouse in his truck when he witnessed the chase. He testified that he was coming out to the light when he "saw two cars jostling around." When the light turned green, McConney said he went ahead, but the two vehicles pulled in front of him in the turning lane.

McConney watched as the white car pulled over to the side of the road, then the blue car. He saw the man (Eckstine) get out of his car, and that was when McConney made the decision to make an attempt at intervening. He turned around further down the road, but by the time he got to the scene, the accident had already occurred. McConney never saw the accident happen.

Crystal Simpson

Simpson was on her way to her car from her home on E. High Street when she saw the white car pulled over on the shoulder of the street.

"My boyfriend parks where traffic and planning is," she said. "I saw her car there [in front of my driveway]."

Simpson said the white car slowly pulled out from the shoulder and made impact with another vehicle. Simpson immediately called 9-1-1. She reported she saw a third vehicle that was not involved in the impact and a man (Eckstine) "walking" up the road toward the cars.

She further explained Eckstine was banging on the door of the vehicle while he and Alegado bickered at each other.

"It seemed hostile," Simpson said. "She opened the door and spoke to me. She said 'I think something is wrong with my brakes.'"

Police arrived soon after. Cross-examination confirmed that Simpson saw Eckstine walking up the hill and not running.

Janice Winsko

Winsko was the driver of the black Pontiac that Alegado struck in the accident. She is a nurse at Valley Forge Facial Plastic Surgery on High Street. She was on her way home from work when the white car pulled out from the shoulder and struck the passenger side of her vehicle. She said she put her brakes on and stopped.

Further, Winsko said the impact pushed her into oncoming traffic. She moved her car from the danger and called her husband, then stood on the side of the road.

"She [Alegado] was screaming," Winsko said. "It was like a nightmare. She never came to see how I was. A man was banging on her window. Both were acting incoherently. Their actions were not called for for someone that just got hit. I didn't know if they were on drugs or what. They didn't ask me how I was doing."

Doctors diagnosed Winsko with whiplash as a result of the accident. She has since been suffering from the aggravation of dealing with insurance companies. Her car was totaled, but Alegado's insurance company denied the claim, saying it was Eckstine's fault and that Winsko must go through his insurance.

Final Argument

Eckstine's lawyer Paul Bauer was able to get simple assault, furnishing false information to police without knowing, and two counts of recklessly endangering another person stricken from Eckstine's list of charges. The two counts of reckless endangerment that were stricken were for Simpson and McConney, who were not close enough to the accident to be endangered, according to Bauer.

Magisterial District Judge Edward C. Kropp Jr. agreed and dropped those charges.

The Assistant District Attorney Wallis Brooks asked Kropp to increase Eckstine's bail from $7,000.

"This was outrageous criminal conduct," said Brooks. "He is a menace, obviously has an obsession with this woman, and is a danger to her and the Commonwealth."

Bauer said that bail is not puntiive and it is set to ensure the defendent is in court. Kropp agreed and did not increase bail, but told Eckstine not to have any . He also told Alegado earlier that she is not to contact Eckstine.