iradiophilly | News - Charges Dropped Against Philly Cop; UK Variant Found in Philly/Bucks; Man Rescued On 41st Floor

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Charges Dropped Against Philly Cop; UK Variant Found in Philly/Bucks; Man Rescued On 41st Floor

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 01/15/21 4:06 pm | updated: 01/15/21 4:06 pm

Charges have been dropped against a Philadelphia police officer accused of striking and injuring a Temple University student during a George Floyd protest last spring. 54-year-old Joseph Bologna was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and possession of an instrument of crime among other charges. Municipal Court Judge Henry Lewandowski III dropped the charges on Friday, 1/15, citing lack of evidence. The incident was captured on cell phone video and shared on social media. It happened on June 1, 2020, near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Police were trying to disperse a crowd of protestors. Bologna, a 30-year veteran, was pushing and grabbing at the demonstrators when he turned towards 21-year-old Evan Gorski. Bologna swung his baton or ASP and struck Gorski on the head. Gorski fell the to pavement and Bologna wrestled him into custody. Gorski required 10 staples in his head. Charges against the student were dropped. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner plans to refile charges. "Justice must be applied equally and in an even-handed manner," Krasner said in a statement on Friday. "No one is above the law. We fully intend to pursue this case to a just conclusion."

SEE ALSO: Philly Officer Surrenders for Assault
SEE ALSO: Philly Officer Charged w/ Assault of Protestor

Philly police attempt to disperse crowd after hundreds mased/gassed on Parkway. This was @ 5:30 as curfew nears. Dude w/ white shirt provokes scuffle, shoves baton into civilianâ€™s throat. #phillyprotest #blacklivesmatter #GeorgeFloydprotests #protests2020 pic.twitter.com/XDKOMbr0Sr
— Peopledelphia (@Peopledelphia) June 1, 2020

A case of the UK variant of coronavirus COVID-19 has been detected in the Philadelphia region. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tested and confirmed the mutation in a sample from a woman in her 50's that is a resident of Philadelphia and Bucks County. She was sick and briefly hospitalized in December. Contact tracers in Bucks and Philly are working to find any close contacts.

This strain of the virus, B.1.1.7, is believed to be more contagious, but not necessarily more virulent or strong. "We are not overly concerned about this development because all available evidence shows that the existing vaccines are effective against this variant," Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said in a statement. "So long as that continues to be the case, we will treat this variant the same as our other cases."

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said, "While it is still not proven that the B.1.1.7 variant is more transmissible than other variants of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we are concerned that it is present in Philadelphia. Everyone in the area should take this information as a reminder to be even more consistent in wearing masks and keeping distance from others."

Philadelphia Firefighters had to rescue a man off the 41st floor of a high rise building that is under construction in Center City on Friday morning, 1/15. It happened around 10:30 a.m. at the corner of Broad and Spruce Streets. The 60-year-old construction worker had an accident or some sort of medical emergency and needed the help of specially trained fire department personnel. "Upon arrival, we found a construction worker who had an accident on the 41st floor. We used our technical rescue personnel who are specially trained to operate on these upper floors especially those under construction to stabilize the worker," Philadelphia Fire Department Deputy Chief Gerald Boyle said. "We brought him down safely and he is being transported to Jefferson Hospital currently by our EMS." It is not clear exactly what happened to the man. He is in stable condition at the hospital and is being treated. The Department of Licenses and Inspections (L+I) are on scene investigating.