December 8, 2015- Commonwealth v Kerry Lynn Boltz:  Kerry Lynn Boltz, 33, formerly of Hershey, entered a guilty plea before Dauphin County Judge John F. Cherry to the charges of attempted homicide; aggravated assault; kidnapping; unlawful restraint; terroristic threats; stalking; and theft by unlawful taking.  Under the terms of the plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office, he received a sentence of 15-30 years in a state penitentiary.  On October 13, 2014, the Defendant hid in a vehicle belonging to his ex-girlfriend while she was working at ASK in Palmyra.  When she got in the vehicle after work, he held a knife to her and demanded that she drive them to their prior residence.  As she drove near the Sunoco in Hershey, she struggled with the Defendant to get out of the car.  As she did so, he stabbed her twice in the neck with the knife.  She was able to abandon the vehicle and ran for help.  The defendant fled the scene in her car and was found later that night in the car in a secluded area after an apparent suicide attempt. 

At the time of sentencing, the defendant offered no statement.  The Commonwealth indicated that the victim was fearful of the defendant and believed that he would have killed her that day and then committed suicide if she had not fought to get out of the car.  The Honorable Judge Cherry indicated to the victim, who was present for sentencing, that “her courage saved her”.  Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gettle prosecuted this case for the Commonwealth.   Detective Sergeant Gregory Day, of the Derry Township Police Department, investigated this incident.