A Philadelphia man is facing felony charges after Pennsylvania State Police say he drove erratically before crashing an SUV into a Port Carbon daycare Monday morning while 22 children and four adult staff members were inside the building.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Schuylkill Haven, the crash occurred at approximately 8:25 a.m. Monday at Little Sunshines Day Care, 61 Washington Street, in Port Carbon.
Troopers said a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder was traveling at unsafe speeds and driving erratically, forcing other vehicles off the roadway before leaving the road at the intersection of Washington Street (Route 209) and Wood Street.
Police said the SUV struck a reinforced concrete bollard, became airborne, and crashed into the kitchen area of the occupied daycare, causing severe structural damage to the building.
At the time of the crash, 22 children and four adult caretakers were inside the daycare. State police said all occupants were uninjured and were immediately evacuated to a nearby staging area, where parents and guardians were contacted and informed of the incident.
The driver, identified through court records as 55-year-old John M. Capobianco Jr., of Philadelphia, was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East for medical treatment. According to police, evidence of drugs was found inside the vehicle, and Capobianco later consented to a chemical blood test.
Capobianco was charged Monday with one felony count of Causing Catastrophe, 26 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, DUI involving a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, careless driving, driving at an unsafe speed, and multiple additional traffic-related offenses.
Court records show the case was filed before Magisterial District Judge Edward M. Lewis. Capobianco was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli on Monday afternoon and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison on $150,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 7.