COPLAY, LEHIGH CO. (WOLF) — Authorities say a Northampton man who fled from police earlier in the week was later found dead in the Lehigh River in Coplay.
According to the Coplay Police Department, officers were notified around 11:39 a.m. on March 13, 2026, of a pursuit involving the Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Northampton Police Department. The man involved was later identified as Toddrick Bynoe, 46, of Northampton.
Police said Bynoe was wanted for probation violations in Lehigh County and for failing to appear in Northampton County court on a bench warrant.
Investigators say officers attempted to take Bynoe into custody when he fled from a residence in Northampton. Officers later located him near Canal Street in Northampton along the Lehigh River.
Authorities say Bynoe continued trying to evade police and entered the river in an attempt to swim across. Officials reported the river was more than 100 feet wide in that area, with sections deeper than 20 feet and a strong southbound current.
Police said officers witnessed Bynoe attempt to grab onto a makeshift rope swing on the Lehigh County side of the river before he submerged and did not resurface. Officers from Northampton remained along the Northampton County side of the river until responders could reach the opposite bank.
Coplay Police Chief Ryan Emerich requested additional resources for rescue and recovery efforts. Crews from the county drone team, diving teams, and multiple fire departments assisted in the search using rescue boats, rope systems and off-road vehicles to monitor the riverbanks.
Authorities say weather conditions, including strong winds and fast-moving water, made the search difficult. After several hours, the initial search effort was suspended.
On Saturday, March 14, Bynoe’s body was located in the Lehigh River near the 200 block of North 2nd Street in Coplay in about nine feet of water, according to the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:20 p.m.
An autopsy is scheduled for March 17 at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensic Center to determine the official cause and manner of death.
Multiple agencies assisted with the search and recovery, including Northampton Regional EMS, Lehigh Township Fire Department, Northampton Fire Department, Pennsylvania Water Rescue, Northampton Police Department, East Allen Township Fire Department, Lehighton Fire Department and Coplay Borough Police Department.
Officials say no further details about the incident are expected to be released.