Museum director agrees to shun alcohol as Christmas lights vandalism case advances
Milford. Judge Allen Cooper asked Lori Strelecki if alcohol was involved the night she was alleged to have cut the lights at a local realtor’s office. “Yes,” she said.
Milford /
| 23 Feb 2022 | 03:23
Lori Strelecki adjusts her sunglasses as she emerges from the John Street County Complex in Milford (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)
Lori Strelecki (right) emerges from the John Street County Complex in Milford (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)
Lori Strelecki, the longtime director of the Pike County Historical Society’s Columns Museum, was able to leave Judge Allen Cooper’s courtroom Tuesday on her own recognizance — on the condition she not consume, possess, or be around alcohol.
If she has any at home, she must “get rid of it,” said the judge. She must not be anywhere alcohol is offered.
This Strelecki’s strict, non-monetary release condition related to the property destruction charges she faces.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Strelecki was charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, class D misdemeanors, for causing $2,700 in damages to the McAteer and Will Real Estate property in Milford where she is alleged to have cut the wires to its Christmas decorations.
Strelecki was subpoenaed to appear before Judge Cooper in Central Court on East John Street on Tuesday. She walked into the courtroom with a woman and her attorney, Justin Pfaff of Mincer & Pfaff, for a 10:45 a.m. pre-hearing, which was to determine if there was enough evidence to go to trial court.
Judge Cooper said there was an “earlier incident in Dover.”
Strelecki said that was a long, long time ago.
“Yes,” said the judge.
Strelecki signed a waiver of preliminary hearing.
Judge Cooper asked Strelecki if alcohol was involved.
“Yes,” she said.
The judge said there would be no monetary bail, only the nonmonetary release condition. He said he understood beer is offered in grocery stores, and that she could shop in those stores for her groceries.
He suggested that her lawyer guide her if she had questions about a location or event — before, not after, going to any place or event she was unsure about. She said she understood, and was released.
“This case will now move to the Court of Common Pleas of Pike County, Pennsylvania, where we will continue attempts to resolve this matter amicably with the Pike County District Attorney’s Office,” said Pfaff in an email to the Courier.
Strelecki was charged last month . Milford Borough Police Chief Matthew McCormack arrested Strelecki after investigating the incident, which is described in a Jan. 4 police criminal complaint signed by Magisterial District Judge Deborah Fischer. “All of this action was captured on surveillance video from 402 Broad Street,” says the complaint.
After viewing the video, Sergeant Jack DaSilva of the borough police “was able to positively identify Strelecki as the actor in the video.” The police then asked Strelecki to come in for an interview.
