Man who drove his car into a Northeast Philly police building charged with aggravated assault

A 26-year-old man who injured five people Tuesday by driving his car into a Northeast Philly police building is facing aggravated assault and related charges, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

The driver, Dieufort Joly, of the Rhawnhurst section of Northeast Philly, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, risking catastrophe, institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, and possession of instrument of crime, according the District Attorney’s Office. .

On Tuesday afternoon, around 1:40 p.m., Joly drove his black 2007 Hyundai Tucson into the front lobby of the 2nd Police District building at 7306 Castor Ave. in Rhawnhurst , police said. None of the five people hurt was seriously injured. Joly exited his car and walked out onto Castor Avenue, where he was arrested, police said. The building was significantly damaged but there was no structural damage.

“We understand how traumatic this was for civilians. We understand how traumatic this was for anyone in law enforcement who may have witnessed it,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said Wednesday at a news conference. “These are heavy charges.”

Aggravated assault carries a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, Krasner said. However, those charges may change as police and federal authorities continue to investigate Joly’s motive.

Earlier on the day of the crash, authorities said Joly was involved in a domestic situation with his father that led to a police interaction around 11:45 a.m. That dispute involved the discussion of the sale of a car and a possible return to Haiti, Krasner said.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 11, Krasner said.