A man from Lancaster County has been charged with leaving the scene after a fatal crash that claimed the life of 23-year-old Anson Burkholder last month in Maidencreek Township, announced the Berks County District Attorney’s Office Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at approximately 8:15 p.m. the Northern Berks Regional Police received a detail to respond to the area of Route 222 North in the vicinity of Richmaiden Road and Pleasant Hill Road located in Maidencreek Township for a male who was struck by a vehicle.
During the initial investigation, it was learned that the brother of the victim, Wilson Burkholder, went looking for his brother, Anson Burkholder, who had left on his bicycle to go to a farm in the 1300 block of Pleasant Hill Road to feed and tend to the animals.
The victim was expected to return home for dinner. When he did not return, and after responding to the farm, the victim’s brother searched for his brother. The victim’s brother eventually found a bent and broken rear bike tire on the shoulder of Route 222.
The victim’s brother then found his deceased brother off the shoulder of the roadway laying at the edge of a corn field. The remaining parts of the bike were also found in that vicinity. Also found in the vicinity were broken remnants of a motor vehicle including parts of a front bumper, tire and fender of a black vehicle.
According to investigators, soon after the accident, a witness contacted the police and notified them that an individual by the name of Moshe Notis had heavy front right damage to his black minivan.
When the witness questioned Notis about the damage, Notis said he hit a pole. When questioned further by the witness, Notis then stated that he struck a deer on 222. This information was provided by the witness to the police after the witness learned of the fatal hit and run. It was determined that the defendant, the driver of the black minivan, was from Lancaster Township in Lancaster County.
Officers from the Northern Berks Police Department contacted officers from the Manheim ‘Township Police Department who patrol Lancaster Township and asked them to check for Moshe Notis’ vehicle. The Manheim Township Police Department responded and observed what appeared to be fresh damage on the striking vehicle, a black 2014 Toyota Sienna minivan.
Police also advised there was a metal hammer on the ground near the right front passenger side tire as if someone tried to fix the front right passenger side fender and door. Pry marks and paint transfers were visible on the vehicle. Manheim Township police remained on location to preserve the evidence until a search warrant was obtained.
As a result of the search warrant, various items of evidence were found on the exterior of the striking vehicle including a partial metal suspender clip, suspected hair, and various other items of evidence. Also recovered at the scene in Maidencreek Township was a metal suspender clip from the victim’s suspenders. This metal suspender clip matched the partial metal suspender clip found in the grill of the striking vehicle. Various other items of evidence were found at the scene in Maidencreek Township including car parts which matched the damage of the vehicle driven.
Moshe Notis has been charged with Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury, Homicide by Vehicle, Failure to Notify Police of Accident/Injury or Death, among other related offenses.
