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Luzerne County Council objects to White Haven Center closure

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Police: Bentley’s fire being probed as arson

<p>New accusations surfaced in a civil suit against former Wilkes-Barre Police Officer Robert Collins by a woman who said he took her to a house three times and directed her to blow crack cocaine smoke in his face before sexually assaulting her.</p><p>The accuser, identified as C. Doe, said the house located near Lehigh Street and Park Avenue had the same air mattress, TV stand with crack and drug paraphernalia and a portable DVD player showing pornographic videos each time Collins took her there in 2011 and 2012. Luzerne County property records listed Collins as the owner of a house on Lehigh Street.</p><p>C. Doe, who was not identified to protect her privacy due to the sexual assault claims, said Collins told her she could do a &#8220;favor&#8221; for him that would keep her out of jail. She alleged Collins told her he &#8220;liked the smell&#8221; of crack smoke and had her and another woman blow it in his face at the house in the summer of 2012.</p><p>Along with H.A. Doe, C. Doe last week was added to the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Scranton. U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion approved the amended complaint on Oct. 24 that also included the removal of L. Doe as a plaintiff in the case against Collins and the city of Wilkes-Barre. Four women plaintiffs remain anonymous, but the suit said their identities are known to the defendants Collins and the City of Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Collins, 54, of Wright Township, faces another civil suit in federal court as well as state criminal charges he picked up women while on duty and allegedly sexually assaulted them. He remains free after posting $175,000 bail.</p><p>H.A. Doe alleged Collins arrested her in April 2009 and she gave him a false name. She said he offered to make the charge &#8220;go away&#8221; and drove her to a dark alley in South Wilkes-Barre where he forced her to perform a sex act on him. She said she stopped before it was completed, angering Collins who drove her to police headquarters and filed charges against her.</p><p>The four women alleged Collins, through his actions, deprived them of their constitutional rights against unlawful search and seizure and denied them due process. In addition, they alleged the city was equally responsible because it knew of his misconduct and failed to prevent it. They asked for a trial, damages in excess of $50,000 and unspecified relief from the court.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Robert-Collins-01222019.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Collins</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_Robert-Collins-01222019.jpg</photo0><caption0>Collins</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Suit: Ex-WB cop liked crack smoke blown in face