Man accused of knocking out crossing guard held on nearly all charges

A Philadelphia man accused of punching a crossing guard has been held over for Common Pleas Court on nearly all charges.

Magisterial District Judge Tammi L. Forbes dismissed a single count of making terroristic threats against Rashiem Russell Wednesday, but held him on the remaining charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Russell, 27, of the 600 block of Cobbs Creek Parkway, was arrested in South Carolina March 20, less than a week after he allegedly punched the crossing guard  in Darby on the afternoon of March 16.

Forbes heard from that alleged victim Wednesday, who said she was working for the nonprofit Safe Corridors at Sixth and Walnut streets that day near Walnut Street Elementary School.

She said the last bus for the day was dropping off three children at about 3:54 p.m. when Russell, driving a gold-colored Nissan Altima, impatiently went around several cars and came up to the side of the bus where the kids were being let off.

The alleged victim told Assistant District Attorney Cierra Eckenrode that Russell was standing on the brake and gas, revving the engine and creating smoking tires.

When it was safe to do so, the alleged victim said she waved Russell to go about his business with a “slow down” motion of her hand, but he instead parked his car in the middle of the intersection and charged up to her.

“He got out of the car and then he ran up to me to tell me I was f…ing up his day, I was f…ing with him, and then he punched me,” she said.

Video of the assault was captured and played in court. The alleged victim identified the assailant in that video as Russell. She said she did not know him and had never seen him before he punched her.

The alleged victim said the punch left the right side of her face swollen and knocked her out for some time. She also suffered a concussion, she said.

She said she quit her job as a crossing guard afterward because she did not feel safe.

Forbes also heard from the mother of Russell’s child, who was stopped in Philadelphia March 18 driving the same Altima.

She said Russell had given her the vehicle that day as a gift, but told her not to drive it in Darby or Upper Darby.

She said Darby Detective Cpl. Anthony Salvatore came to the traffic stop and then took her to the police station where she identified Russell in a still from the video.

In a subsequent phone call after Russell was arrested, she said Russell told her he had a lot on his plate that day and was “overwhelmed in that moment.”

Defense counsel Ben Dewhurst did not offer any witnesses and argued only that there was no testimony of threats. Eckinrode did not challenge that argument, so Forbes dismissed that charge but held all others.

Dewhurst was unable to make a bail argument because Forbes said court rules require the alleged victim to be present if there felony charges, but she had already left to return to work by the end of the hearing.

Russell remains in custody at the county jail in Concord in lieu of $150,000 cash bail. The judge did order that he and any third-parties are to have no direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim and no criminal contact with the other witness.

The video played in court had gone viral as police sought the public’s assistant and state Sen. Anthony Williams, D-8, Philadelphia, put up a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, which he previously indicated would be paid.

At a press conference announcing Russell’s arrest last month, Darby Police Chief Joe Gabe and Darby Mayor Joar Dahn commended the collaborative work of local police, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement in Philadelphia and South Carolina, and the U.S. Marshals Service in quickly getting him into custody.

“Because of this work, this collaboration of law enforcement, state, local and federal, this dangerous individual has been taken off our street, and very quickly too,” Dahn said. “This is what real government looks like. This is what collaboration looks like. They all worked together. They protected our community and they brought justice.”

Dahn said parents in Darby should feel comfortable sending their children to school and residents should feel safe in their own borough.

“We will not tolerate crime in Darby Borough,” he said. “If you commit a crime here in Darby, you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Under my leadership, we will not tolerate any kind of violence in Darby, whether it’s physical, it’s mental, whatever it may be. If you commit a crime in Darby you will be caught and you will be prosecuted. Simple. Simple as that.”