Pizza shop owner charged with murder; Cooler temps follow storms; Officer killed in shooting in Lebanon County

THE RUNDOWN: 

1. Bucks County pizzeria owner charged with murder in partner’s death

HILLTOWN, Pa. – The owner of a Bucks County pizzeria has been charged with murder after authorities say she shot and killed her longtime partner earlier this month. 

Anna Maria Tolomello, 48, is accused of fatally shooting Giovanni Gallina, 65, inside a home they shared in the Chalfont section of Hilltown Township. The two also owned Pina’s Pizza in New Britain. 

She faces several charges including criminal homicide, abuse of corpse, and related offenses. 

Authorities say their investigation began when Gallina’s son informed them that he had not heard from his father since March 16. Tolomello had said Gallina was out of town and did not report him missing, authorities say. 

Police met Tolomello at her home on Tuesday to execute a search warrant. At that time, authorities say she told officers that she knew why they were at her home and ‘unprompted, told police she shot Gallina in self-defense.’

Tolomello then allegedly told investigators that the body was ‘wrapped up’ in a bedroom and that she had shot him once in the head with a handgun back on March 16. 

According to court documents, Tolomello also paid someone to dig a hole in her driveway, telling them that she would fill it back in herself with a shovel. SKYFOX flew over the home yesterday, and a large hole was visible next to the driveway. 

Officers searched the home and found Gallina’s body wrapped in a blue tarp inside the home’s master bedroom. He was found to have a single gunshot wound to the head. 

2. Cooler temperatures follow in wake of mighty storms that plowed across Delaware Valley

PHILADELPHIA – Cooler temperatures will follow in the wake of a powerful storm system that plowed across the Delaware Valley Thursday night, bringing severe weather advisories and a brief isolated tornado warning. 

Thursday night was a preview of what normally happens during the warm summer months. Daytime highs reached into the 70s that helped make the conditions right for an incoming cold front that pushed a line of storms across the area. 

The National Weather Service first issued a region wide Severe Thunderstorm Watch which was later upgraded to a warning in parts of the region. Winds that gusted up to 60 MPH helped spin up a brief Tornado Warning in central Bucks County. 

Forecasters said the storm system weakened as it moved across New Jersey towards the shore to help end the severe weather threat. 

The cold front that pushed storms across the region will have a meaningful impact on overnight temperatures and weekend conditions. Friday, the first day of April, will be noticeably cooler with highs struggling to reach 60 degrees. 

Sunshine will dominate the sky on Saturday with temperatures remaining near 60 degrees. Another round of rain appears likely on Sunday, but those showers aren't expected to pack nearly the same punch as Thursday's storms.

3. DA: Suspect charged in DUI crash that injured Philadelphia officer had license suspended for 2021 DUI

PHILADELPHIA – Authorities say a driver whose license was suspended last year for drunk driving was intoxicated when he plowed into a Philadelphia police officer Wednesday night. 

Terrell Lee, 41, was charged Thursday with a number of crimes including aggravated assault and aggravated assault while DUI. 

Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters that two officers were walking back to their car during a traffic stop on the 6700 block of Torresdale Avenue when the officer nearest the road was struck by a black Chevy that crossed over the double yellow lines. 

Small said the 44-year-old officer was launched 10 feet and landed on the northbound side of the road. She was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Hospital with head injuries and bruises, but is in stable condition.

Witnesses told police the driver sped away from the collision and drove through several red lights. Small said the vehicle blew through a red light at the intersection of Torresdale and Cottman avenues and nearly struck a police car.

Those officers followed the suspect's vehicle and saw the driver, a 42-year-old man, pull over and start walking down the street. He was placed in custody by the trailing officers. 

A day later, investigators identified Lee as the driver and said his driver's license was suspended for a DUI last year in Delaware County. Authorities also shared that Lee has an "open aggravated assault case" in Montgomery County. 

4. 1 officer killed, 2 others shot in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

LEBANON, Pa. – A Pennsylvania police officer was killed and two others injured Thursday during a shooting that occurred while responding to a domestic disturbance call, Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello said.

Police officers went to a home in the city at about 3:30 p.m. for the disturbance call. Nearly an hour later gunfire broke out and officers radioed in they were hit, Capello said at a brief news conference.

All three officers were taken to hospitals. One of them has been pronounced dead. A second was in critical condition, but stable, and a third was in stable condition, Capello said.

"This is an extremely difficult moment for everyone," Capello said.

The suspect, a 34-year-old man from Lebanon, was killed in the shooting, Lebanon Police Chief Todd Breiner said.

"As one can imagine, it's clearly a traumatic event," Breiner said. "Our guys are strong, but we're human and we have families."

The slain officer's name is being withheld pending notification of extended family members.

Police did not release further details.

5. New Jersey Gov. Murphy 'feeling well' after testing positive for COVID-19

TRENTON – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has tested positive for coronavirus, according to his communications director Mahen Gunaratna.

In a statement shared Thursday, Gunaratna said the newly re-elected governor is "asymptomatic and feeling well." 

Murphy got a positive result after using a rapid-test on Thursday morning, then tested positive with a PCR test. 

"The contact tracing process has begun to notify everyone who may have come into contact with the Governor during the potential infection window," a statement from Murphy's office read. 

Murphy has canceled in-person events and will isolate for the next five days, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. 

6. 'It is horrific': Philadelphia man charged with brutal stabbing death of former co-worker in Bensalem

BENSALEM, Pa. – A Philadelphia man is facing charges after investigators say he stabbed a former co-worker over 50 times and ran him over before dumping his body at a Bucks County train station. 

Dominique Harris, 30, was taken into custody Thursday morning by officers from the Philadelphia Police Department after his vehicle was spotted near Broad Street and Hunting Park Avenue. He has been charged with criminal homicide and possession of an instrument of crime. 

It's alleged that Harris ambushed 54-year-old Michael Pickens as he ws taking out the trash at a Bensalem Wendy's early Wednesday morning. Investigators said Harris chased Pickens to the parking lot of Bensalem Beer and Soda where he stabbed him "upwards of 50 times."

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub told reporters that Harris briefly fled, then returned to the parking lot in a 4-door Infinity and ran over Pickens two times. Harris then wrapped a belt around Pickens neck before he loaded him into the backseat of his car and drove away, according to Weintraub.

Officers from the Bensalem Police Department were called to the Bensalem Beer and Soda the next morning after an employee noticed blood stains on the ground and items thrown scattered in the parking lot. 

Investigators reviewed nearby surveillance cameras that revealed the brutal killing that happened the night before. They were able to identify Harris's vehicle and follow his path using other surveillance cameras to Cornwells Train Station where Pickens' body was found in a grassy area. 

Authorities said Harris and Pickens used to work at the same Wendy's restaurant until Harris was fired for harassment in late January. Investigators said that Pickens was also the victim in that incident. 

Harris is being held at a Bucks County prison without bail.

MORE FROM FOX 29 

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• New Jersey motorists suspicious of price gouging as gas prices remain high
• Trooper Martin Mack III laid to rest following I-95 crash in Philadelphia
• Suspect charged in Philadelphia police chase that ended in crash
• Video released in shooting inside South Philadelphia Chinese restaurant

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