Pocono News Section

Police Trying to Learn From Recent Shootouts

Police Trying to Learn From Recent Shootouts - Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 5:50PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2009 @ 05:50pm EST
SUGARLOAF TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY- There have been at least three police shootouts in our area in recent months. I-Team Lead Investigator Andy Mehalshick we hear from an officer involved in another stand-off and gun battle near Hazleton.

And we do get a unique perspective. Police officers go to work every day. They do their duty, they protect and serve but they never know when they will be in a life-threatening situation.

Neighbors described it as a battle zone. More than 50 rounds were fired off between James Martuscelli, who was inside his home in Sugarloaf Township, and police. You can still see the bullet holes in his house.

It ended when officers hit him. He had no choice but to surrender. Sergeant Josh Winters of the Sugarloaf Township police was in the middle of the gunfight. He says he will never forget it.

"It's like no other feeling I ever experienced before. You know your adrenaline gets so high. I was up for two days after it, not just because of all the things that happened. Your adrenaline gets so high it takes a long time to come down," said Winters.

He realized that lives can be in danger at any moment. "Any second you can get a call to who knows what. It doesn't even matter what jurisdiction you work in, state, federal, local, it can happen anytime, anywhere," said Winters.

He says the gunfight, while dangerous, was also a learning experience. "A couple little things you can pick up, make things better that you don't learn unless itÕs a real life situation. The bullets flying, lives in danger. Some of our guys were close to getting hit that night."

Sgt. Winters said that he and his fellow officers realize how close they came to being killed. And they say, they are better officers today because of that gun fight.