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Chester County Press

Police Blotter

02/05/2014 08:30AM ● By Acl

MURDER-SUICIDE IN HONEY BROOK

A man who showed up at his ex-girlfriend's house on Feb. 1 shot and wounded the woman's brother, who was trying to protect her. The gunman then turned the gun on himself.
Honey Brook police arrived at the home in the 4800 block of Horseshoe Pike in Honey Brook at 1:30 a.m. and found two men with gunshot wounds. The shooter was identified as Dustin Scott Hofman, 29, of Reading. He was pronounced dead of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. The woman's brother, whose name has not been released, was taken to Reading Hospital in stable condition.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan released a statement Saturday afternoon, calling the shooting “A domestic violence incident turned deadly in Honey Brook Borough.”
Police said Hoffman had previous charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend, and came to the home demanding to talk to her. The woman’s brother told Hoffman to leave. A scuffle began, and the brother was shot.
Hogan's press release stated, “If this young woman would have come out of the residence to meet with Hoffman, she would have been murdered. Instead, her brother was shot protecting his sister and Hoffman is dead. ... This is yet another reminder that domestic violence cases can accelerate to extreme violence in a flash, and must be treated seriously by the criminal justice system."

METAL STOLEN

Pennsylvania State Police Avondale reported that an unoccupied home at 360 Icedale Road in Honey Brook Township was burglarized sometime between Dec. 1 and Jan. 7. Stolen were an interior and exterior air-conditioning unit, woodstove, copper pipes and several boiler parts. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-486-6280.

An unoccupied home at 35 Benburb Road in Charlestown Township was burglarized sometime between Jan. 10 and 24, and approximately $1,000 worth of copper pipe was cut out of the basement. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-486-6280.

TRASH BINS STOLEN

Eleven 64-gallon trash bins were reported stolen from the rear of the Acme market at 851 Gap Newport Pike in Avondale on Feb. 2. The bins were yellow with green lids. Anyone with information is asked to call Jason Sperazza at the Pennsylvania State Police Avondale barracks (610-268-2022).

CAR BATTERIES STOLEN

Pennsylvania State Police Avondale reported that four car batteries were stolen from 627 Barren Road in East Nottingham Township sometime between Jan. 28 and 29. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-268-2022.

DRUG CHARGES

Pennsylvania State Police Avondale arrested Nicholas Michael Zadorzany, 23, of Oxford, for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop on Jan. 31 on Route 272 in West Nottingham Township.

DUI

Kennett Square police arrested Victorino Salazar, 34, of Kennett Square, for DUI after a traffic accident in the 400 block of South Walnut Street and a brief foot chase on Jan. 17. Salazar was found to have an outstanding fugitive warrant out of New Garden and was taken to Chester County Prison.

Kennett Square police arrested Miguel Gutierrez, 44, of Kennett Square, for DUI after a traffic stop on Jan. 18 in the 100 block of Old Kennett Road. He was released at his home pending a summons from District Court.

Kennett Square police arrested Daniel Gaona-Renteria, 29, of Kennett Square for DUI after a traffic stop in the 300 block of East Linden Street on Jan. 12. He was released at his home pending a summons from District Court.

Pennsylvania State Police Avondale were assisting a motorist who had pulled her car off the road on the Route 30 bypass in Sadsbury Township on Jan. 18 at 4 a.m. During the incident, they discovered she was DUI. Danielle Renee McElyea, 28, of Downingtown, was arrested for DUI.

Pennsylvania State Police Avondale responded to a report of an erratic driver on Jan. 23 at 12:30 p.m. at Route 322 and Boot Road, and discovered that the driver, Robert Anthony Heller III, 37, of Honey Brook, was DUI. He was arrested and charges have been filed at District Court.