A Minersville man is locked up in Schuylkill County Prison after an apparent road rage incident in Port Carbon.
Evian Holliday, 23, of Minersville is in Schuylkill County Prison facing charges of criminal aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
According to court documents filed by Port Carbon Police Officer Nicholas Morgan, the charges relate to an incident on June 3, 2024, around 4:30 p.m. in Port Carbon.
On that date, a man and woman walked into the Port Carbon Police Station to report that a white Dodge Avenger followed them from South Second Street in St. Clair to the front of the Port Carbon Police Station on First Street where the driver of the Avenger then pulled alongside their vehicle and began yelling and clapping.
The victims drove to First and Market Street to calm down but the Avenger continued to follow them, where the driver pulled alongside their vehicle, pointed a fully automatic gel ball gun, and shot the man and woman in the face multiple times.
The Avenger drove away with the driver waving a baseball bat out of his window. The victim initially thought the gun was a real firearm. The victims returned to the police station to report the incident and provided a photo of the offender's vehicle as well as a description of the driver.
Later that evening, around 6:30 p.m., Officer Morgan saw an Avenger matching the description and registration on Pike Street. He followed the vehicle into Blythe Township, where Blythe Township Patrolman Tim Walsh initiated a traffic stop.
During the stop, officers saw multiple gel ball guns and a baseball bat within reach of the driver, identified as Holliday. Holliday and a female passenger were ordered out of the vehicle. Officers seized a rifle-style gel ball gun between the driver’s seat and center console, another rifle-style gel ball gun on the passenger side floor, a pistol-style gel ball gun, and a bottle of gel balls. The baseball bat was also seized.
When asked about the gel ball guns, Holliday claimed they were for his protection. The police report noted that Holliday and his passenger were extremely uncooperative during questioning. Holliday responded to the impending charges by stating, "That's fine, I have money, I'll just pay the citations." Both were released after the items were seized.
On June 12, 2024, charges were filed at Magisterial District Judge David Plachko's office, including criminal charges and an arrest warrant. On June 13, 2024, Holliday was taken into custody and arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge James Reiley, Pottsville.
Holliday was remanded to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post the $25,000 straight cash bail set by Judge Reiley. He remains in prison with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 25, 2024, before Judge Reiley.