JOHNSTOWN —
When 19-year-old Zachary Michael Ernest bought two dozen eggs from the grocery store on June 20, he apparently had no plans to scramble them.
Instead, the Brownstown man is accused of egging 30 vehicles and a house while driving down the road in his pickup truck.
Ernest and four juveniles allegedly egged cars and trucks in the Westmont Borough area on two occasions - at around midnight on June 20 and Thursday, West Hills Regional police Sgt. George Musulin III said.
The group targeted vehicles on Luzerne Street Extension, Christopher and Tioga streets and Bucknell Avenue, police said.
Police obtained video footage from Sheetz on Goucher Street showing a white male buying several dozen eggs but were unable to identify him.
A week-long search ended when police caught a break on Thursday.
“A transmission came across my radio that a Silverado was driving slowly and eggs were being thrown from the vehicle,” Musulin said.
Police found the group at a Sheetz on Broad Street, police said.
Ernest was charged with 31 counts of criminal mischief and seven counts of corruption of minors. He was arraigned Friday by on-call District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi of Vinco and freed after posting 10 percent of $10,000 bond.
The juveniles are expected to face disorderly conduct charges.
Authorities are totaling up damage to the vehicles, Musulin said.
“What people don’t realize is, it literally penetrates the clear coat and leaves a swirl mark because of the acidity of the egg,” Musulin said.
Damages could be a few hundred dollar or a few thousand dollars per vehicle, he said.
Local News
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Zachary Michael Ernest of Brownstown
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Five charged in "egging" spree
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