Arnaldo Fernandez‑Rodriguez charged after vehicle flees during traffic stop
A traffic stop for illegal window tint escalated when the vehicle fled and an occupant ran from police, authorities say.
The East Earl Township Police Department charged 46-year-old Arnaldo Fernandez‑Rodriguez of Ephrata with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, hindering apprehension or prosecution, and traffic offenses after a traffic stop on August 15, 2026. Officers say the vehicle was stopped for traffic violations, including dark illegal window tint, then initially fled; when it stopped an occupant, Tara Suter, ran from officers because of an outstanding felony warrant, and Fernandez‑Rodriguez is alleged to have fled to conceal her presence. The East Earl Township department was assisted by West Earl Township and Ephrata Borough police; Fernandez‑Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty.