man throws his five year old daughter from a bridge... may have been prevented had the police listened to the blokes lawyer.
Suspect to judge: 'I will leave it in the hands of God'
St. Petersburg, Florida -- The man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge and to her death told a judge he did not want a lawyer, but instead wanted to "leave it in the hands of God."
Circuit Judge Michael Andrews, seemingly unimpressed with 25-year-old John Nicholas Jonchuck Junior's response on how he wanted to be represented at trial, ordered the suspect be held without bond. The judge is also having the court psychologist evaluate Jonchuck, ahead of his next court court appearance scheduled for Monday.
John Jonchuck Jr., the man accused of throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge, has his first court appearance.
The tragic series of events that led to Jonchuck's arrest began shortly after midnight Thursday. According to St. Pete Police, Officer William Vickers was off-duty and heading home, southbound toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge when a Chrysler PT Cruiser passed him going about 100 MPH.
Officer Vickers began to pursue the vehicle, allegedly being driven by Jonchuck.
Jonchuck pulled over and stopped near the top of the Dick Misener Bridge on the approach to the Skyway. The officer got out and began approaching the suspect.
"Subject got out of the vehicle he started saying something... the officer had no idea what he was saying," says Police Chief Anthony Holloway.
Chief Holloway explained Officer Vickers had no idea what would happened next: "The suspect then went to the other side of the vehicle, pulled out a child, put the child's face toward his chest and he walked to the side of the bridge. And he threw the child into the water."
5-year-old Phoebe Jonchuck was dropped 60 feet off of the bridge and into the water, allegedly by her own father. Jonchuck then got back in his car and drove off, as Vickers ran over to see if he could locate the child in the water.
Phoebe was found about an hour later and taken to All Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Several dive teams were involved in the search for the child, including The Coast Guard. The child was recovered by dive teams from Eckerd College about a mile from the bridge.
According to Jonchuck's arrest affidavit, Phoebe was alive when she was thrown into the water, and appears to have drowned.
The search and rescue team recalls what they went through while recovering the body of Phoebe Jonchuck
Police chase in Manatee CountyManatee County Sheriffs deputies spotted Jonchuck going northbound on I-75 a short time later. Deputies tried to pull over the PT Cruiser, when Jonchuck allegedly did a U-turn and started driving the wrong way down the Interstate, directly at a backup deputy's vehicle.
The deputy took evasive action to avoid a crash and the PT Cruiser fled at a high rate of speed, still going the wrong way on I-75.
A multi-agency pursuit began, and stop sticks were used to eventually bring Jonchuck's vehicle to a halt. He was arrested and brought to the Pinellas County Jail.
Chief Holloway says Jonchuck had custody of the child, and had filed a domestic violence charge against child's mother a month ago. It was thrown out. Records show he lived with his parents in Tampa.
Lawyer called 911 hours before tragedyHillsborough County deputies actually had contact with Jonchuck the day before the incident.
A lawyer for Family First Law Group called 911 on Wednesday morning, saying that Jonchuck -- who was a new client of hers -- came to her office and claimed she was God and the Creator. He then wanted her to read him the Bible in Swedish.
"He's nuts," attorney Genevieve Torres tells the 911 dispatcher. "He's out of his mind, and he has a minor child with him, [and is] driving to a church now. I should have kept the child [here]."
She goes on to say, "I was supposed to file his paperwork for a case. And he's like, 'Well, don't file the paperwork. It's not going to matter any more.'"
A doodle little Phoebe drew while her father met with his attorney, hours before he allegedly killed her. The lawyer called 911 after observing John Jonchuck's erratic behavior.
A lawyer for Family First Law Group called 911 on Wednesday morning, saying that John Jonchuck came to her office and claiming she was God. Hours later police say he threw his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge.
Following the call, deputies caught up with Jonchuck at his church, where he was given a mental evaluation. They indicated Jonchuck made no threats to himself and was not a danger.
Deputies let him go and observed him walking out of church, hand-in-hand with his daughter Phoebe.
Hours later, the little girl was dead.
Jonchuck is charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on a law enforcement officer.
Police say that right now, Jonchuck is not cooperating with the investigation.
Jonchuck had numerous contact with deputies and has been arrested multiple times:
May 23, 2010 -- Jonchuck battered the victim, and Phoebe's mother, Michelle Kerr. He was arrested.
May 26, 2013 -- Jonchuck was arrested for battering Michelle Kerr, during an argument that escalated to a physical attack.
October 25, 2013 -- Jonchuck was accused of forging Michelle Kerr's checks. She ultimately signed a waiver not to prosecute.
November 6, 2013 -- Jonchuck was arrested for battering his mother, Michele Jonchuck, during an argument.
April 23, 2014 -- Jonchuck and a male acquaintance got into a physical altercation. Both parties refused to press charges.
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2015/01/08/child-dead-after-thrown-off-bridge/21430139/
