Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Borough
Bristol Carjack Suspects Motion to Exclude DNA Denied, Trial Scheduled for December
The last time, Kevin O’Connell’s name came up, he waived his right to a preliminary hearing for two carjackings and had a burglary case out of Tullytown Borough added to his lengthy list of alleged crimes.
In April, sources confirmed for the publication, O’Connell’s attorney, Christopher J. Serpico upon his client’s urging filed several motions challenging the DNA evidence. A hearing took place recently in front of President Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr., the attorney said.
Those “motions were denied,” he said.
Serpico did say he expects a plea deal to be worked out with prosecutors for the Tullytown burglary case.
We have a pre-trial conference hearing scheduled for Oct 10 at the Justice Center. Hopefully we finalize an agreement, he said.
Bucks County Justice Center
Credit: Jeff Bohen, Lower Bucks Source
O’Connell as you might recall carjacked a then 83-year-old woman in the Bristol Park Shopping Center. The victim, authorities said, was badly hurt when O’Connell forced her out of her 2007 Toyota Camry and she fell to the ground as he took off on to Rt 13.
The following morning, Philadelphia Police pulled the suspected carjacker over while he was driving the victims car in the Kensington section of the city. He was taken into custody and transferred to a Philadelphia Prison before he was transferred to Bucks County Prison.
Days later, Tullytown Borough Police filed an arrest warrant for burglary and related offenses charging O’Connell for a May 27, 2022 breaking and entering incident.
Tullytown authorities allege he entered the garage of a home on Stonybrook Drive in the early morning hours stealing about $5,000 in tools and household items. He faces felony counts of burglary, criminal trespassing, theft and receiving stolen property, and a misdemeanor count of loitering or prowling at night. You can read the probable cause filing by clicking here.
According to the probable cause, a “used cigarette” was left behind the night of the burglary and no one in the victim’s home is a smoker. The evidence was submitted to a local lab for testing and DNA hit came up within days of O’Connell’s arrest for the carjackings.
O’Connell is charged with four counts of robbery, one count of aggravated assault, four felony theft related counts, and six other related offenses for the two carjacking’s police say he’s committed.
He is scheduled for trial for the alleged carjackings on December 6, according to court records.
Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack on Tuesday morning released the following statement on last nights Dorrance Street Fire.
It’s only been edited for style:
Credit: Submitted
Credit: Joe Nelson
Cops
Emergency Crews Prepare for Incoming Blizzard as Lower Bucks Municipalities Declare Storm Plans
Lower Bucks municipalities have declared disaster/snow emergencies in advance of the expected snow storm that the National Weather Service says will dump anywhere between 14 to 18 inches on the area.
A winter storm warning is still in effect from Sunday, Feb 22 to Monday, Feb 23.
Each municipality has its own link. For more information and updates, please click on their associated link.
Bensalem Township – Disaster Emergency declared immediately for the pending snow storm. Click here to see more details.
Bristol Borough – Snow information/requirements have been posted on their website. Click here to see the details.
Bristol Township – Snow Emergency effective 12 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 through 12 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Click here to see more details.
Falls Township – Snow Emergency starts Sunday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. and expires on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 a.m. Click here for details.
Langhorne Borough – Snow Emergency starts Sunday, Feb. 22 at noon until Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. No parking. Click here for details.
Lower Makefield Township – Snow information has been posted on Meta. Click here to see the details.
Middletown Township – Snow Emergency is in effect from Sunday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. to Monday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. . Click here to see details.
Morrisville Borough – Snow Emergency is in effect from Sunday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. to Monday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Click here to see the details.
Newtown Township – A Snow Emergency is in effect from 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 until 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Click here to see the details.
Penndel Borough – Snow Emergency has been declared from 12 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026, through 12 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026. Click here for more details and click here for more on the ordinance.
Tullytown Borough – Snow Emergency proclamation in effect from Sunday Feb. 22 – 6 p.m. to Monday Feb. 23 – 6 p.m. Click here to see more details.
Warminster Township – Disaster Emergency has been declared for the incoming snow storm, effective Sunday Feb. 22, 2026 at 12 p.m. through Tuesday, Feb. 24,2026 at 12 p.m.. Click here to see the details and click here to see the declaration from Township Manager Tom Scott.
Yardley Borough – Snow Emergency proclamation in effect from Sunday Feb. 22 – 4 p.m. to Monday Feb. 23 – 4 p.m. . Click here to see the details. and click here to see declaration/other information from Mayor Caroline Thompson.
The primary concern is safety. Take care of yourselves and check on neighbors and those who may be vulnerable.
Please stay safe, take all necessary precautions, and keep your devices charged.
Click here for updates from the National Weather Service
Click here for PECO’s outage map.
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Borough
Cops: Bristol Man Charged with Robbery; Suspect Identified Via Sports Jacket Seen on Video During Altercation
A Bristol Borough man was taken into custody and jailed Friday night accused of robbery, simple assault, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct stemming from a Jan. 26 incident at the Sunoco Gas Station on Bath Road and Rt 13.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Bristol Borough Police were dispatched to the gas station/convenience store at 10:45 p.m by 911 after the assault/robbery was called in by gas station staff.
Responding police officers met with the employee who said two men entered the store and one attempted to rob him, assaulted him, damaged the store and then fled on foot. The employee said one of the two suspects reached through the safety glass that is usually in place during night hours, punching him in the face and neck area several times and breaking his glasses, the criminal complaint alleges.
Officers noted, in the probable cause, visible bruising on the employee’s face from the robbery assault. In addition, there were a number of store items damaged.
The victim told police the direction the suspects fled which officers canvassed and came up empty in the suspect search.
On Jan 27 officers reviewed gas station security video footage (no audio) showing, according to the probable cause, Mark Rodriguez (who police had yet to identify) getting into an argument with the victim, reaching underneath the security window, pulling it up and pummeling the victim.
The unidentified man with Rodriguez remained nearby but was on his cell phone, police said, at the time of the assault and was wearing a Bristol High School sports jacket.
Bristol Borough Police identified the owner of the jacket (a minor) with help from school district officials. The minor provided a written statement to police identifying a family member of his/hers (Rodriguez) as the suspect who assaulted the Sunoco Gas Station employee and that he was present for the altercation.
The written statement was facilitated by Bristol Borough Middle/High School Lead Teacher Mike Poploskie, and sent via email to lead investigator/officer Chris Tehan. Subsequently police were able to confirm Rodriguez’s identity and that he lives on the 150 block of Otter Street.
About one week later, police met with the parents of the student who was present at the altercation in which the minor was interviewed by police.
The youngster provided police with a “voluntary” statement confirming his/her previous written statement and allowing police to have a warrant issued for Rodriguez’s arrest.
Rodriguez was arraigned by on-call District Judge Mark D. Douple last Friday on robbery and related counts. He set bail at 10 percent of $75,000.00 and remanded Rodriguez to Bucks County Jail until his next hearing date, currently set for Feb 25.
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