[PA] No charges against retired, repeat-offender cop Zemgulis?

...During the argument, she said, he threw a lamp at her, hitting her in the back... He then threatened to shoot himself while holding a gun, according to the PFA. Sandra Zemgulis wrote that she got her dog, left the house, returned briefly to call police but did not stay at home that night... EASTON POLICE ARE NOT INVESTIGATING THE MATTER... In 2003, he pleaded guilty to a tire-slashing and road-rage incident and was sentenced to anger-management counseling, a fine and restitution. In 2005, a criminal mischief charge against him was dismissed, and he was acquitted in 2004 of a disorderly conduct charge...

Ex-judge seeks protection
Sandra Zemgulis says former police officer John Zemgulis threw lamp at her during dispute.
The Express-Times
By MICHAEL BUCK
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
EASTON - A former district judge filed a temporary protection-from-abuse order Tuesday against her husband, a former city police officer, after a dispute Monday evening, according to police and court records. Easton police Lt. Scott Casterline said police responded to Sandra and John "Tim" Zemgulis' home about 6:30 p.m. Monday for a report of a domestic dispute. He said neither John Zemgulis nor Sandra Zemgulis was injured and no arrests were made. Casterline said Sandra Zemgulis requested to be taken before a district judge to file an emergency protection-from-abuse order. Casterline said Easton police later served the emergency PFA on John Zemgulis and ensured he was in compliance with it. Sandra Zemgulis filed the temporary PFA Tuesday morning after the emergency PFA expired that morning. Sandra Zemgulis said in her PFA that her husband had been yelling at her about moving out of their house. During the argument, she said, he threw a lamp at her, hitting her in the back. According to the PFA, John Zemgulis threw other items around the house, including a bottle of Old Grand Dad liquor, and he smashed a lamp against the computer printer. He then threatened to shoot himself while holding a gun, according to the PFA. Sandra Zemgulis wrote that she got her dog, left the house, returned briefly to call police but did not stay at home that night. Sandra Zemgulis indicated that her husband had been drinking Monday and said when he drinks he gets violent and throws things around the house. She said he had been alcohol-free for about four months. According to the PFA, Sandra Zemgulis requested firearms be seized from her husband. Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Taschner said Easton police seized John Zemgulis' firearms. No one answered the phone at the Zemgulis residence Tuesday evening and a phone message seeking comment was not returned. John Zemgulis was an Easton police K-9 officer from 1970 to 1997 and a member of the attorney general's office drug task force. This is not the first time John Zemgulis has had a run-in with law enforcement. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to a tire-slashing and road-rage incident and was sentenced to anger-management counseling, a fine and restitution. In 2005, a criminal mischief charge against him was dismissed, and he was acquitted in 2004 of a disorderly conduct charge. Reporter Michael Buck can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at mbuck@express-times.com. [Article here]

Ex-district judge says husband threatened suicide
She sought protection order after argument with former policeman.
Allentown Morning Call, PA
May 8, 2008
... At one point he threatened to "kill himself," she said, saying "he was going to shoot himself" while holding a gun. Sandra Zemgulis said her husband had stopped drinking for four months but was drinking again on Monday. "When he drinks, he is a nasty drunk," she wrote. "And he gets violent by throwing things around the house.' Easton police are not investigating the matter
. "The case on our end is closed" said Lt. Scott Casterline... [Full article here]

OLDER:

Ex-cop charged in tire slashing
Retiree accused of criminal mischief in road rage incident.
The Express-Times
By RUSS FLANAGAN
August 28, 2003
A criminal mischief charge was filed Wednesday against a retired Easton police officer accused of slashing a man's tires during a road-rage incident earlier this month. The single misdemeanor charge against John "Tim" Zemgulis, 56, was brought by the Northampton County District Attorney's Office after a nearly two-week investigation. John C. Straile, 56, who made the complaint against Zemgulis, had recently said he feared the district attorney's office might try to bury the case. He said Wednesday he was relieved the charge was filed. "I'm glad it's being filed," Straile said. "But I'm still concerned he will be able to hold his (weapons) permits"... While Straile was inside shopping for bread, a bystander, Lisa Smallberger, said she watched as Zemgulis kicked one of the Mitsubishi's rear tires and then punctured all four tires with a metal object... Straile has said he will seek to recover his financial losses and wants Zemgulis to be sentenced to six months of anger management classes and probation and to be barred from owning a firearm... Straile said he was satisfied the district attorney did not file more charges. "I'm not disappointed," Straile said. "Criminal mischief is a serious enough offense, especially for a man of his credentials"... In 1988, Richard W. Baker Jr. -- who lived with Zemgulis at the time -- filed reckless endangerment and terroristic threat charges against Zemgulis for allegedly holding a gun and threatening to kill him. The charges were later dropped because of insufficient evidence... [Full article here]