ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) — An Allentown police officer surrendered to authorities on Thursday after he was accused of pistol-whipping a suspect who was trying to surrender following a police chase.
Officer Abviud Carvajal is charged with felony aggravated assault stemming from a police chase that ended in Whitehall Township on July 23. The chase started after police said Thomas Kravitz, of Philadelphia, threatened a woman with a gun and fled from officers.
“He struck an Allentown police vehicle and pulled away while another officer was trying to get him out of the truck,” said Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan.
After a high-speed chase, police say Kravitz crashed his pickup truck into two other vehicles and came to rest in the front yard of a home. At that point, according to the DA, Kravitz tried to surrender to police and put his hands up. He was not holding a gun.
“Kravitz was visible and well-lit from Carvajal’s perspective for at least four seconds before Carvajal approached Kravitz, who was still standing with his hands up, and hit Kravitz in the face with the muzzle of his firearm,” said DA Holihan.
Kravitz was treated for lacerations at the hospital and charged in connection with the threats and the chase.
Carvajal surrendered on Thursday and was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault. He was released on unsecured bail and is on administrative leave pending the outcome.
“My priority is to maintain public trust within our community and also ensure accountability when things go wrong,” said Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca.
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