Clean sweeps

Members of Narcotics Strike Force A Platoon, assigned to South Philly, locked up 16 people in two recent drug busts and confiscated guns and dope.

Both raids were the result of neighborhood complaints, Narcotics Strike Force Capt. James Kelly told the Review.

"Anybody that comes to us with any complaints, we follow up on it. This is what we do, narcotics and guns," the captain said.

Residents on the 2200 block of Wilder Street, where a July 2 raid occurred, thanked officers for their intervention and also requested a portable basketball net on the block, which attracted local "thugs" who were passing time in between drug sales, be removed, Kelly said.

In the Wilder raid, officers served a search and seizure warrant at 6:40 p.m. and arrested five alleged pushers and two alleged scorers. Of the latter were Rodney Burton, 47, from the 2200 block of Gerritt Street, and Tracey Johnson, 40, from the 2200 block of Cross Street. Both were charged with possession.

The alleged dealers — charged with possession with intent to deliver and manufacture and delivery — were Brendon Watson, 20, from the 5400 block of Arlington Street; Paris Young, 21, from the 2100 block of Tasker Street; Virginia Watson, 18, from the 2200 block of Wilder; Lori Pettis, 23, from the 2200 block of Wilder; and a 17-year-old from the 1700 block of Ringgold Street.

Confiscated from the Wilder residence were two firearms — a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun loaded with 14 rounds and a Raven .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun containing six rounds — and two boxes of .40 caliber bullets. Also seized were a jar of marijuana with a street value of $5; 28 packets of crack cocaine with a street value of $140; and $751 in cash.

The second raid Friday on two residences on the 600 block of Jackson Street landed nine alleged dealers in jail. Five of the suspects lived on the block where the raids occurred — George Mitchell, 31; Bryant Collins, 22; Christopher Fickling, 18; Charles Fickling, 47; Marie Fickling, 62; and Annette Moore, 34. Also arrested were Jarvis Wells, 22, from the 700 block of McKean Street; Antoine Ellis, 22, from the 2000 block of South Eighth Street; and Kenneth Palmer, 21, from the 2100 block of South 15th Street.

Recovered from both Jackson homes were 3800.7 grams of marijuana with a street value of $38,000; 2.2 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of $220; .45 grams of heroin with a street value of $50; a .10-gauge shotgun; a .45-caliber Colt loaded with eight live rounds; a banana clip for an AK-47; two holsters; assorted drug packaging and paraphernalia; and $887 in cash.

Alleged dealers at the Jackson incident were charged with possession with intent to deliver and manufacture and delivery.

To report drug activity, call the Strike Force at 215-685-1107/08.

Shot during gun play

A 19-year-old told investigators he was hit by a bullet from a firearm being passed between two acquaintances of his.

The teen was struck in the lower left leg shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday outside on the 500 block of Moore Street, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.

When police arrived, the pair playing with the gun had fled, but detectives are in the process of identifying them, Chiaro said.

The wounded teen went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in stable condition and police recovered one spent projectile at the scene.

Oh baby!

It was hardly just another day on the job for three 17th District officers who helped a woman bring a baby boy into the world at 1:40 p.m. Monday.

Officers Anthony Ferriola, Tracy Jasinski and Ernest Lawyer responded to a radio call on the 2000 block of Fitzwater Street and upon arrival encountered a 28-year-old on the first-floor hallway about to give birth with the baby’s father there, Capt. Kevin Bethel said.

Lucky for the family, Ferriola had 12 years experience as a medic and put his knowledge to use, taking the lead with the other cops assisting, the captain said. During the delivery, Ferriola noticed the umbilical cord wrapped around the infant’s neck, but was able to safely remove it.

Police wrapped the newborn — Lamar — in a blanket to keep him warm until a medic arrived to take mother and child to HUP. "They did a fantastic job," the captain said of his officers. "It just goes to show what the job is about — being there for people. Sometimes you’re there at the worst of times, but sometimes you’re there at the best of times."

Teen killed in alleged road rage in city’s 219th slaying

Tykeem Law’s only crime was not moving fast enough for an 18-year-old driver seemingly in a hurry, Homicide Sgt. Tim Cooney said.

The 14-year-old from Grays Ferry was riding his bike on the 900 block of Federal Street with about six cousins shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday when the motorist extended his right arm in front of his male passenger, firing one round from his .22-caliber handgun out the passenger-side window and into Law’s chest in what appears to be an act of road rage, Cooney said. A third male passenger was in the backseat.

The victim, who lived with his mother on the 1600 block of Etting Street and was to start eighth grade at James Alcorn Elementary School’s Middle Years Annex, 33rd and Reed streets, died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 4:40 p.m., the sergeant said.

Charles Meyers, from the 2400 block of South Darien Street, was charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person and firearms violations. Meyers, who is being held without bail, will be arraigned July 25. Neither of his passengers were charged.

According to court records, Meyers was free without bail at the time of the shooting and awaiting trial on two drug charges.

March 28, Meyers was arrested at Seventh and Ritner streets and charged with possession of a controlled substance. June 15, the day of his preliminary hearing for the March incident, police stopped Meyers at Ninth Street and Oregon Avenue and charged him with possession again, as well as driving under the influence.

Third District Officer Joseph Acavino was driving behind Meyers’ burgundy four-door Mazda, on his way to work at 11th and Wharton streets, when he witnessed the July 14 incident.

According to Cooney, Acavino was on duty — not off per published reports — and on his way back from an overtime assignment on a bank detail.

Law and his cousins were riding in the middle of the street, a block from cheesesteak mecca and next to Capitolo Playground, when Meyers began honking his horn, shouting obscenities and yelling for them to move.

"Apparently they weren’t going fast enough for Mr. Meyers," Cooney said.

The boys responded to the motorist but police aren’t sure what was said. "There were words exchanged but it was nothing heated, nothing extended in the way of a conversation," the sergeant said.

Law got off his bike and wheeled it around near the passenger side of the vehicle, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands as if to inquire what the problem was, Cooney said. Meyers then inched up to be in line with the teen, police said.

"He fires one shot out the open passenger window and it strikes Tykeem in the chest," Cooney said.

The cousins were not injured, but Meyers’ front-seat passenger’s hearing was checked at Jefferson Hospital since the handgun went off next to his left ear, the sergeant said.

After the shooting, Meyers allegedly sped off with the officer in pursuit. The Mazda collided with a gold Honda traveling south on 10th Street, police said. The female driver of that car escaped harm.

The officer followed the suspect to 11th and Federal streets, where he arrested Meyers without incident, Cooney said.

"This is totally unprovoked and ridiculous. It’s just sad," the sergeant said of the city’s 219th slaying.