ALLENTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — An Allentown police officer accused of pistol-whipping a Philadelphia man faces a possible trial in Lehigh County court following a hearing on Wednesday.
Abviud Carvajal remains free as he awaits trial on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault following a preliminary hearing in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County. The 31-year-old Carvajal is accused of pistol-whipping Thomas Kravitz of Philadelphia.
According to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, on July 23, Kravitz was being arrested after threatening his girlfriend in text messages and leading police on a car chase. He was in the process of surrendering at gunpoint, empty hands over his head, when Carvajal struck him in the face with the muzzle of his gun. The entire incident was captured on body and dashboard cameras.
The district attorney’s office said it would not release camera footage of the incident, which they plan to use at trial.
Carvajal is scheduled for a formal arraignment in Lehigh County court in January. Kravitz also faces trial next year on charges stemming from the threats and police chase.