SEE AMAZON.COM DEALS FOR TODAY
Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. March 20 drive-by shooting arrest
2. Suspect apprehended in March 20 drive-by shooting
A Folcroft man, Charles Meriweather, has been charged with attempted murder and related offenses for allegedly using a loaner truck from a local dealership in a drive-by shooting in Chester. The incident occurred shortly after Meriweather visited his probation officer. Surveillance footage captured a blue 2023 Ford F-150 pickup truck with a passenger firing shots at the victim. Meriweather, a light-skinned Black man with a large beard, was identified as the passenger. The truck was traced back to Meriweather, who has prior convictions for robbery and terroristic threats. He was on probation at the time of the shooting and is currently held on $500,000 cash bail.
1. March 20th drive-by shooting arrest
2. Suspect apprehended in March 20 drive-by shooting
CHESTER – A Folcroft man has been charged with attempted murder and related offenses for allegedly using a loaner truck from a local dealership in a March drive-by shooting shortly after visiting his probation officer.
The Scene of the Crime
Charles Meriweather, 30, of the 300 block of Ashland Avenue, is also charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and firearms offenses in the March 20 shooting on West 22nd Street in Chester.
According to an affidavit of probable cause for Meriweather’s arrest filed by Delaware County Detective Vincent Port:
Chester police were called to the area of West 22nd and Howard streets about 12:05 p.m. for a report of a shooting and found three 10 mm fired cartridge casings. Officers received word that the victim had arrived at Crozer Chester Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound to the right hip.
Investigators retrieved surveillance video from the area that showed a blue 2023 Ford F-150 pickup truck with a large white colored sticker on the rear driver’s side window heading eastbound on 22nd Street.
Video Evidence
The video showed the truck approaching the victim on the south side of West 22nd and Howard streets, then shots being fired from the passenger side, striking the victim.
A light-skinned Black man with a large beard is visible in the passenger seat wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt. The driver appeared to be wearing a red or orange shirt.
The Ford drove off northbound on Howard Street at a high rate of speed, out of camera range, but detectives were able to view still shots of the truck from several license plate reader cameras in the area and make out a registration number.
Tracking the Truck
They learned the truck came from a Ford dealership in Springfield. Employees there informed police that the truck was a loaner for a customer, who they identified as Meriweather.
Investigators were also able to track the truck’s movements earlier in the day using video surveillance, and found that it had been at the Delaware County Office of Adult Probation and Parole shortly before the shooting.
Prior Convictions
That footage showed the passenger, identified as Meriweather, going into the probation and parole offices wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants. Phone records also put Meriweather’s cellphone at the shooting location at the time the shooting took place.
Court records show Meriweather has prior convictions going back to 2012 that include robbery and terroristic threats. He was on probation for a 2022 aggravated assault at the time of the shooting.
Legal Proceedings
Meriweather was preliminarily arraigned Tuesday by Magisterial District Judge Sloan Walker, who set bail at £500,000 cash. He was remanded to the county jail in Concord after failing to post bail, where he awaits a preliminary hearing on April 29 before Magisterial District Judge Wilden H. Davis.
