The Montgomery County District Attorney says Achi Store owner Rafie Ali and employee Mohammed Himed sold K2, also known as synthetic marijuana, to Roger Malloy, the driver in the crash that killed two people.
Ali and Himed were arrested last night on charges of Corrupt Organizations, Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Possession With Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Paraphernalia and related offenses for their roles in the sale of K2.
The deadly accident occurred on May 21st at around 11:30 p.m. in the area of 520 State Street.
The crash involved one vehicle, a gold Lincoln Continental, which had 5 people inside: the driver, 28-year-old Roger Malloy, and four passengers, Roger's brother 23-year-old Robert Malloy, 15-year-old Rachel Witt, 28-year-old James Crawford, and 16-year-old Kendal Harper.
Upon arrival, police found Witt, Crawford, and Harper lying near the vehicle.
Witt was declared dead at the scene of the crash.
Crawford was transported to Pottstown Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Harper was transported to Reading Hospital with severe injuries.
Police say several witnesses had arrived at the scene after hearing the crash.
These witnesses reported to police that they saw two people remove the injured individuals from the car before fleeing the scene.
Police soon identified those two as Roger and Robert Malloy.
Police interviewed Robert that night. He told police that Roger Malloy had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Robert Malloy told police, "Roger started flying. He was doing like 60 miles per hour and I was yelling at him to slow down."
Soon afterwards, police say Roger Malloy lost control of the vehicle while going around a turn.
Robert Malloy further indicated that the occupants of the car, including the driver Roger Malloy, had been smoking K2 prior to the accident.
Police also interviewed Kendal Harper. According to police, he also said Roger Malloy had been driving the car at the time of the crash, and that he had smoked K2 earlier in the evening.
On May 22nd, police arrested Roger Malloy for 2 Counts of Homicide by Vehicle while DUI, and related offenses for his roles in the deaths of James Crawford and Rachel Witt.
He gave a statement to the police in which he admitted that he had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
On June 29th , police re-interviewed Roger Malloy, who told police he smoked K2 five or ten minutes before the crash and it caused his heart to beat faster, blurred his vision, and caused a sense of panic. Malloy also added that it made him feel like he was having an asthma attack.
According police, the K2 that Roger Malloy smoked on the night of May 21st was purchased at the Achi Store.
On May 22nd, an undercover police officer purchased two containers of K2 from the same store. The K2 was not on display. It was hidden from public view, and the store clerk had to reach under the counter to retrieve it.
Later that day, Pottstown police served a search warrant on the Achi Store. Police recovered over thirty vials of K2, over thirty crack pipes, 13 bowls used for smoking marijuana, over $1000 cash, and a handgun.
According to police, K2 has become a generic name for any of a number of substances also known as synthetic marijuana. When smoked, these substances replicate the high of marijuana, but do not contain THC, marijuana's active chemical. Reports from emergency rooms and poison centers have indicated that K2 can also produce effects not seen with marijuana use. The most serious of these side effects are panic, rapid heart rate, and anxiety that results in suicidal episodes.
On August 22, 2011 the legislation making K2 illegal in Pennsylvania took effect.
