Teen Alburtis Councilman Jailed

Teen Alburtis Councilman Kyle Avery Bower was committed to Lehigh County Prison Wednesday after he was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Jacob E. Hammond of South Whitehall Township.

Bower, who will be 20 on Nov. 7, was jailed because he violated a probation agreement he commenced earlier this year. That sentence was issued in January after Bower answered charges in Lehigh and Berks counties of stalking and repeatedly committing acts to cause fear after he admitted throwing a brick through an ex-girlfriend's window in July 2011, according to court documents.

Bower was arrested Oct. 15 on complaints filed by both Pennsylvania State Police and Alburtis police on charges that include agricultural vandalism, agricultural crop destruction, criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Late Oct. 3 and early Oct. 4, court documents say Bower drove a gray Toyota Camry through soybean fields owned by David Jaindl at Smith and Ruth lanes in Lower Macungie Township.

He also gathered political signs along the way from property belonging to Thomas Bickert at 320 Chestnut St., Alburtis, and when he ultimately got stuck on an embankment, the signs were found in the back of his car and two bottles of beer -- one half full -- were found in the car's center console, documents say.

The incident caused $595 in damages to one acre of the field, documents say.

The court papers also quote Bower:

"After about 10 minutes in the field, the car bottomed out on an embankment," Bower said.

Straight bail was set at $5,000.

Bower, who lives at 305 Franklin St., Alburtis, may be asked to leave his seat on Borough Council. President Stephen Hill has said he will ask for Bower's resignation, according to a story in the Morning Call.