Police: Witness saw assailant stab other driver five times after he fell to highway in road rage slaying

Apr. 14—ORWIGSBURG — The Pottsville man charged with stabbing another driver to death on Route 61 in a road rage incident Monday afternoon allegedly continued to stab the victim at least five times after he fell to the ground, while motorists driving by witnessed the slaying.

The two men seemed to be racing one another and cutting each other off for several miles along Route 61 southbound before Tamiir Ion Whitted positioned his vehicle across the two southbound lanes near the intersection with Brick Hill Road in front of George Marcincin's vehicle, witnesses told police. The two drivers got out and confronted each other before Marcincin was stabbed.

Whitted, who fled the scene after a woman yelled that police were called, resisted arrest when he eventually pulled over, according to state police at Schuylkill Haven.

Trooper Tyler Brackman charged Whitted, 29, of 119 W. Market St., Apt. 1, with one count each of murder in the first degree and murder in the third degree; two felony counts of aggravated assault and one misdemeanor count each of simple assault, fleeing or attempting to elude police, resisting arrest, possessing instruments of crime and recklessly endangering another person, in the death of Marcincin, 38, of Orwigsburg.

Whitted was arraigned around 10 p.m. Monday by on-call Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison without bail.

"Due to the nature and extent of the victim's injuries it is very likely that the victim died as a result of the injuries he sustained when the accused stabbed him repeatedly," Brackman said. "The victim had stab wounds to his neck, chest arm and back."

Call from witness

Brackman said police were alerted to the crime at 2:02 p.m. when a woman reported she was watching two men fight on the highway in West Brunswick Township when one of the men stabbed the other man several times. The woman said the assailant got into his vehicle, made a U-turn at the traffic light at Brick Hill Road and headed north.

The woman managed to obtain the license plate and the information was broadcast by police, leading Orwigsburg police Patrolman Robert Bechtel to attempt a traffic stop of Whitted in the 400 block of Market Street in the borough. Whitted failed to stop there, but did on Brick Hill Road. But then he failed to comply with orders given by the officer and drove off again at a high rate of speed onto Route 61.

Police said he stopped a second time near Holly Road, but again would not comply with orders by Bechtel. Brackman said Whitted exited his vehicle while apparently talking on his cellphone, but then got back inside.

Brackman said Whitted again drove off but was stopped and taken into to custody near the intersection with Chestnut Ridge Drive by Bechtel, Schuylkill Haven police officer Vince McDonald and members of the state police. Brackman continued to resist and was subdued with a Taser.

The trooper said Whitted had what appeared to be blood on his pants and a visual search of the vehicle showed a red substance on the driver's side seat. Brackman said a knife was in plain view in the driver's side door pocket.

Several witnesses came forward telling the same story as the woman who initially made the call to the Schuylkill County 911 Center.

Brackman said the woman reported she stayed in her vehicle and saw Whitted and Marcincin facing each other and hitting or trying to hit one another. The woman said it appeared Marcincin was trying to defend himself and that the other man seemed to be the aggressor, had a knife in his hand and was stabbing Marcincin, Brackman said.

The witness said that when Marcincin fell to the ground, the assailant stood over him and continued to stab him at least five more times.

The assailant fled after she yelled out the window that police were coming, police said.

A "show up" was conducted at the scene, where a witness positively identified Whitted as the man who stabbed Marcincin, Brackman said.

Information sought

At a press conference Monday evening, Trooper David Beohm, public information officer for Troop L, Reading, said troopers are asking anyone who may have witnessed the attack or the driving incidents leading up to it to call them at 570-754-4600.

He also said if any person or business may have captured the incidents on security cameras to contact police.

Reiley scheduled a preliminary hearing for Whitted for 10 a.m. Thursday, April 22, before Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg.