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Michael Raklewicz, orthopedic surgeon, to present free health talk

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18 female athletes sue former USA Gymnastics doctor, allege sexual abuse

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The corruption trial of a former firefighter and part-time police officer accused of covering up a friend&#8217;s violent crash got underway Tuesday with state prosecutors claiming the ex-Marine made it his mission to make the wreck disappear.</p><p>John Francis Fronzoni, 37, of Robin Drive in Larksville, allegedly covered up the crash involving William Ritsick, who prosecutors say later admitted he had been drinking and had taken Xanax before he veered off of West Luzerne Avenue in Larksville and smashed into a telephone pole at around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2014.</p><p>Fronzoni, then a Larksville firefighter and part-time police officer in Edwardsville and Courtdale boroughs, instructed other responders at the scene to falsify reports, prosecutors allege. One was allegedly urged to &#8220;not completely fill out&#8221; an incident response report while another was flatly told, &#8220;This accident never happened.&#8221;</p><p>Senior Deputy Attorney General Bernard Anderson, in his opening Tuesday in Luzerne County Court, said Fronzoni knew personnel at the scene had jobs to do. There were reports to be made. There were investigations to be done. But Fronzoni panicked as the scene became inundated with medical, police and fire officials, Anderson said, and decided to do whatever it took to make it all go away.</p><p>&#8220;He had one mission that night and that was to make this accident disappear,&#8221; he said, adding that several witnesses will be called to the stand to back the assertion.</p><p>Defense attorney John Pike disputed whether Fronzoni was convincing enough to &#8220;assert his will onto 10 people at the scene&#8221; and argued Fronzoni and Ritsick weren&#8217;t friends. In fact, Pike said, Fronzoni barely knew Ritsick.</p><p>Fronzoni, Pike told jurors, was a small-town native who was inspired to join the Marines following the 9/11 disaster and rose through the ranks before returning home to serve his hometown. Fronzoni wouldn&#8217;t throw that away, Pike argued.</p><p>&#8220;They want you to believe he was there to fix something,&#8221; Pike said. &#8220;He did what he was trained to do.&#8221;</p><p>Courtdale Police Officer Greg Johnson opened testimony Tuesday afternoon by telling jurors he was one of the first officers to arrive at the crash scene. He testified Fronzoni told him Ritsick was &#8220;a friend of mine and he&#8217;s in the back of my truck and he&#8217;s staying there.&#8221; Fronzoni then told him not to run the vehicle&#8217;s license plate.</p><p>Fronzoni&#8217;s behavior was &#8220;strange&#8221; and &#8220;inappropriate,&#8221; Johnson testified.</p><p>Raymond Glova, an officer with Plymouth Borough police, testified he arrived at the scene shortly after Johnson. When Johnson told him what Fronzoni had said to him, Glova said he called then-Larksville Police Officer Michael Thomas and told him to come to the scene.</p><p>Glova added that Johnson seemed &#8220;pretty shook up&#8221; from his encounter with Fronzoni and believed Johnson was &#8220;absolutely&#8221; intimidated.</p><p>Initially charged in the case, Thomas saw his charges dropped by District Judge James Tupper early last year. Tupper had said he found no evidence of wrongdoing by Thomas.</p><p>Among others expected to testify this week is Lori Amos, the EMT first to arrive on the scene who allegedly heard Ritsick say, &#8220;I&#8217;m (expletive). Should I run?&#8221; Others expected to take the stand include fire, police and other medical personnel that were on the scene as well as Ritsick himself, prosecutors said.</p><p>Records show Ritsick, 46, of West Nanticoke, previously pleaded guilty to careless driving &#8212; a summary offense &#8212; in connection to the crash. He was never charged with driving under the influence, though Anderson on Tuesday said he was &#8220;a prime suspect&#8221; for it.</p><p>The state Office of Attorney General assumed the investigation and prosecution of the case upon referral from the Luzerne County District Attorney&#8217;s Office and the Larksville Borough Police Department.</p><p>The trial is expected to last about three days.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Fronzoni </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Fronzoni_1-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Fronzoni </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Prosecutors: Former cop urged responders to falsify reports at friend&#8217;s crash</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Jurors hear opening arguments in alleged police corruption case