A Lower Merion Township commissioner running for U.S. Congress can add rescuer to his resume after he helped people escape a stuck elevator outside his campaign office.
Brian Gordon is a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania's 2nd District. He was working at his campaign headquarters on the 7th floor of a Bala Cynwyd office building Friday afternoon when one of the elevators became stuck between floors, his campaign said.
Gordon helped the building's receptionist pry open the elevator doors and lower down a ladder so the five passengers could climb out. A campaign staffer filmed the whole rescue.
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After an elevator rider apologized to Gordon, he replied, "I live for this stuff." He then took a moment to stump for his campaign.
It seemed he gained a few votes with several people announcing they'd support him.
Gordon is challenging incumbent Chaka Fattah in the April Democratic primary. He's running on a message of inclusion, equal protection and the environment, his website shows. Attorney Dan Muroff has also announced he'll run for Fattah's seat.
Fattah has led the 2nd District since 1995, but faces a federal indictment where he's accused of misusing federal grants and charitable donations. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Congressman Fattah is married to NBC10 News anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, who is currently on leave from the station. She has not been charged.
Thursday, the congressman's son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., was found guilty of 22 counts of fraud in a separate federal case. The junior told NBC10 exclusively hours after the verdict was read that he plans to appeal the ruling and doesn't believe he'll spend time in prison.
Police in Northampton County are searching for a car they say hit and killed a 9-year-old boy before fleeing the scene on Friday night.
The boy, identified by the Lehigh County Coroner as Darius Condash, of Allentown, was struck on Schoenersville Road near Route 22 about 6:30 p.m., authorities said. He was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, where he was pronounced dead of his injuries at 7:36 p.m.
The coroner said Darius' exact cause of death had not yet been determined, but that an autopsy would be performed sometime on Saturday to determine it.
Police said Darius was with two teenagers and stopped at a nearby Wawa. When the group was crossing the road to go back home, he dropped his candy and went back into the road to pick it up, police said witnesses reported. When he went back into the street, the car struck him, police said, and kept going.
Police described the striking vehicle as a silver Honda with a raised fin on its trunk.
Tipsters should call 610-759-2200.
A woman is dead after a car crashed onto the sidewalk in Philadelphia and killed her early Saturday morning.
Police said the 2009 Buick sedan was being driven by a 28-year-old man north on Broad Street near Allegheny Avenue about 4:30 a.m. when he somehow lost control of the car. The car then careened into the southbound lanes and onto a curb, hitting the 50-year-old victim and coming to rest when it crashed into a PNC Bank on the block.
Investigators said the 50-year-old pedestrian's leg was severed in the crash and was found inside the bank's cinderblock wall. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 4:45 a.m.
The car's driver and two passengers, ages 25 and 24, were all taken to Temple University Hospital for treatment. All were listed in stable condition later Saturday morning with minor injuries.
Accident investigators continued to work to determine what led to the deadly crash.
