The convicted murderer who escaped from Chester County Prison on August 31st was arrested Wednesday morning just west of Route 100 in Chester County. State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens says a home's burglar alarm was set off just after midnight and then a Drug Enforcement Agency plane took the next step. "There was an aircraft overhead that close to 1am picked up a heat signal that they began to track," Bivens says. That plane had to leave due to a thunderstorm. Bivens says 20-25 State Police troopers and Border Patrol agents held the ground overnight until the plane could return. Shortly after 8am, Bivens says searchers, including a dog, surprised Danelo Cavalcante, who resisted and suffered a dog bite in the process. That was the only injury in the arrest and Bivens credits the dog's quick work from preventing Cavalcante from using a rifle he had stolen days earlier. Cavalcante will now be transferred to a state prison where he'll serve his life sentence for killing his ex-girlfriend.
After Danelo Cavalcante's capture Wednesday morning, Gov. Josh Shapiro said, once again, he had no doubt that would be the ultimate ending of the story. "We knew we had the best. As Col. Bivens said multiple times, he was desperate. It was only a manner of time. I couldn't be more proud of them," the governor said. Shapiro says he's proud to be associated with federal, state and local law enforcement.
Residents in Chester County are breathing easier now that escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante is back behind bars. "I feel like crying because I can actually sleep now. I've been up all night, every night for the past two weeks because of this guy. It's a relief," one woman said. That woman says the past 14 days were very tense with everyone in her area on edge.
Pennsylvania State Police have discovered a video containing child pornography that has been circulating in some Lehigh Valley schools. Lehigh County DA Jim Martin says the video shows a female teenager and a young boy engaged in a sexual act. The video has been known to have circulated among students at Northern Lehigh and Parkland schools and in an unnamed school in Carbon County. Martin's office says, "At this point, we believe the video emanated from the Altoona area and does not depict any local children." He says if the video is discovered, it should not be shared and should be deleted.
An Alabama man is accused of shooting at a vehicle Tuesday afternoon while on Route 22 in Bethlehem Township. 45-year-old Jesus Gonzalez allegedly fired at another vehicle around 4:45 Tuesday afternoon after the other driver got in front of him in the left lane. Gonzalez then went back into the right lane and the two men exchanged obscene gestures before Gonzalez allegedly shot twice, hitting the front of the car, but not the driver. Troopers eventually arrested Gonzalez after a traffic stop on Route 22 westbound at the Schoenersville Road exit. Gonzalez was sent to Northampton County Prison without bail.
State lawmakers who are under pressure to fairly distribute school funds have heard from residents in Allentown. The Basic Education Funding Commission heard testimony Tuesday from experts, school superintendents and education supporters in the first in a series of hearings across the state. Legislators are holding the sessions after a state judge ruled earlier this year that the commonwealth was unconstitutionally underfunding poorer school districts. Local leaders say Allentown schools are underfunded by more than $203 million and Bethlehem is being shorted by nearly $64 million.
Knoebels Amusement Resort has won two Golden Ticket Awards for best wooden roller coaster and best food. It's the fifth straight year the Phoenix roller coaster has been awarded a Golden Ticket. In addition to the Golden Tickets, Knoebels was recognized for number two in "Best Guest Experience," number two in "Best Dark Ride" for the Haunted Mansion, number 23 and number 27 in "Top 50 Wooden Roller Coasters" for Flying Turns and Twister, respectively. Golden Ticket Awards were given to three other Pennsylvania parks, including Dutch Wonderland for The Renaissance Award and Best Family Theme Park. Hersheypark won the award for Best New Roller Coaster with Wildcat’s Revenge.
Philadelphia hosts Minnesota tonight on Thursday Night Football. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni says there's no question it's challenging playing on Thursday. "There's no secret about that. It's really hard for them to be able to do that with the pounding their bodies take on Sunday. I like it's early in the season and there's less wear and tear at least," Sirianni says. The Eagles will be missing running back Kenneth Gainwell, cornerback James Bradberry and safety Reed Blankenship tonight. Linebacker Nakobe Dean is out several weeks with a foot injury.