Upper Darby police have charged a township man with squeezing off two rounds while driving on Normandy Road.
Gardeh Y. Blanton, 42, of the 100 block of Springton Road, was arraigned on firearms and reckless endangerment charges before District Judge Jennifer M. DiPillo, who set bail at 10% of $250,000, which Banton was unable to post. He was committed to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.
Gardeh Y. Blanton (COURTESY OF U.D. POLICE)
“(He) thought it was a good idea to fire a handgun into the air while driving down the street. That is never a good idea,” said Police Superintendent Timothy M. Bernhardt. “Thanks to the quick response of our patrol officers and the hard work of our detective division, he has been arrested and will answer for his actions.
“Let me be clear: If you fire a gun like this, you will be caught, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have no doubt our district attorney will hold this knucklehead, and anyone else who engages in this type of reckless behavior, fully accountable.”
Upper Darby police gave this account:
Officers were dispatched Tuesday, April 21, shortly after 9 p.m. to the area of 150 Normandy Road for multiple calls for shots firedin the roadway.
One witness reported seeing a passing truck, then an occupant sticking his arm out a window and firing shots straight into the air. Two .380-caliber fired casings were found in the block.
Meanwhile, a fired bullet was found on Long Lane.
Video surveillance in the area showed an unknown truck with a visible brush guard proceed down Normandy Road toward Marshall Road and the truck stopping, and the shots fired.
Police determined it was a red Dodge Dakota, and through other video got the license plate, and soon after they learned whose vehicle it was: Blanton’s.
The next day the Dakota was pulled over at Springton and Bradford roads for a suspended registration for insurance cancellation.
Soon it was towed, then police served a search warrant at Blanton’s residence and found a .380-caliber handgun.