Mayhem At The Lansdale Post Office

North Penn Now's weekly newsletter

Author

James Kratch
October 29, 2024

Welcome back to North Penn Now’s weekly newsletter! If you are on the fence about joining the Montgomery Township Historical Society (or renewing a lapsed membership), the ability to attend the society’s upcoming Nov. 8 event at Knapp Farm may push you over the finish line.

This is our second send, so it remains a work in progress. Have a comment or suggestion as we work to evolve and improve? Just reply to this email. Let’s get going!

In This Week's Email:

📆 Upcoming Nearby Events

Friday, Nov. 1

Saturday, Nov. 2

  • 🎤 Joe Conklin | Sellersville Theater | 5-7 p.m. and 8-10 p.m., more details here

  • 👜 Brave little Hearts Designer Bingo | The Empress Room in Blue Bell | 5:30-9:30 p.m., more details here

  • 🕯️ Mozart by Candlelight Concert | Calvary Baptist Church in Lansdale | 7:30-9:30 p.m., more details here

Sunday, Nov. 3

  • 💐 Harvest Home Floral Box | The Rhoads Garden in North Wales | 1-2 p.m., more details here

📫 Scary Situations

A disgruntled former postal worker sparked a police chase before being arrested at his former place of employment on felony terroristic threat charge — all over his final paycheck.

Andil Fatokinsi, 20, of Philadelphia tried to get his final check from the Lansdale Post Office Wednesday, Oct. 9. A postal supervisor told police Fatokinsi made menacing references to a Gucci crossbody handbag and his black nitrate gloves when informed the check would not be ready until the end of the week.

Pennsylvania State Police observed a car speeding and cutting off other vehicles on Route 309 northbound in Lower Gwynedd Township around 10:10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 11. They attempted to make a traffic stop. The driver — Fatokinsi — did not comply.

A chase then ensued as the car left the interstate and continued onto Welsh Road in Horsham. Police said the driver crossed multiple traffic lanes without a signal and almost hit two vehicles. They eventually abandoned the pursuit for safety reasons after about five minutes. Police then learned the car was behind the Lansdale Post Office building.

Lansdale Police received a report of an angry former postal employee prior to the car chase. From North Penn Now’s report:

[T]he supervisor told police that around 9:30 a.m., he’d gotten a text message from Fatokinsi which read, “Hello mama’s boy. I’m on my way,” reports stated. The supervisor said he did not recognize the number, and asked who it was, to which a text response was returned stating “Andil,” said police.

According to reports Fatokinsi continued to message the supervisor “things about social media, racism, and ended with a text stating, “We enemies now” and “You can’t track my arrival,” which caused the supervisor to alert Lansdale police.

Cops contacted Fatokinsi via text and asked him to meet them at the police station, but he told them to meet him at the post office address. Fatokinsi allegedly entered the post office and said, “You think I’m scared of cops … You are going to be my first body.” A supervisor had all employees shelter inside the building behind locked doors, halting all post office operations and customer service.

Lansdale police contacted Fatokinsi at the post office and subsequently learned of the PSP chase before detaining him. He faces felony fleeing or attempting to elude an officer and terroristic threats to cause serious public inconvenience charges, as well as a slew of secondary charges in both incidents. He was denied bail in the post office incident and is being held at the Montgomery County Prison.

🚔 Well, He Wasn’t Lying

A Hilltown Township man backed up a pledge he made to police during his latest DUI arrest.

Thomas Jerome Gabriel, 54, led cops on a brief chase (and almost had an accident with the patrol car) after his pickup truck lost two tires in late September. When he finally stopped after driving recklessly on the rims, police determined he was exhibiting signs of intoxication. They also spoke to witnesses who had interacted with him in a nearby gas station parking lot.

Gabriel admitted he had been drinking when he was detained on suspicion of DUI. He also consented to a breathalyzer test and told cops he would fail and that “the results will blow your mind.”

His BAC was registered at 0.34%, or over four times the legal limit. A blood test was done at Grand View Hospital after he failed a field sobriety test. Gabriel faces two charges of DUI – fourth or subsequent offense and one charge of DUI – BAC at or above 0.16%, fourth or subsequent offense.

🚌 Minding The School Budget

The North Penn School District’s board members voted to stay within the Act 1 index set by the state education department, a big step toward determining the district budget for the 2025-26 academic year. The Act 1 index is a state-set percentage that real estate taxes can be raised without a voter referendum; it will top out at 4% next year. The district is projecting it will take in an additional $8.8 million in tax revenue in 2025-26. The board has also unveiled the financing schedule for long-planned renovations at North Penn High.

💥 It Happened Again

The harrowing intersection of Cannon and Columbia Avenues in Lansdale’s West Ward was the site of yet another significant car accident, just days after another wreck sent a vehicle within inches of crashing into a house. This time a Toyota turned left from Cannon onto Columbia and into the path of a Hyundai also traveling on Cannon. One passenger was taken to Grand View Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; a second patient refused transport.

There was also a serious two-car accident at the edge of the West Ward last week at South Valley Forge Road and Delaware Avenue; one passenger was taken to Lansdale Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The accidents occurred days before Wednesday’s much-anticipated public meeting to unveil a study into Lansdale’s traffic woes. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building; we will have coverage in next week’s send.

🔄 Comings and Goings

The Mallard Restaurant at Lower Salford Township's Mainland Inn has closed just 11 months after it opened. It is the fourth restaurant to open and close at the Sumneytown Pike location since 2008. The restaurant said it hopes to find a new location in a Facebook post announcing the closure, but no further information was provided.

A new law firm has arrived in Souderton. Bigham Law had its grand opening in early October on North Main Street. Owner Ed Bigham said he can handle "everything that goes in front of a judge or jury." The former Philadelphia public defender has been in private practice for almost 20 years.

🏘️ In Other Nearby News

🏈 Play Ball

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📸 Say Cheese!

Check out some great photos from recent local events:

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

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