On February 17, 2023, at approximately 10:21PM a Pocono Township Police Department officer observed a silver-colored Dodge Durango entering the intersection of Learn Road and Cherry Lane Road with several faulty equipment violations. Upon observing the officer turning around, the vehicle sped up and fled onto Hilliard Lane off of Cherry Lane Road. The Durango was located at the end of Hilliard Lane running and with the doors open. The occupants of the vehicle fled the scene on foot.

Through further investigation it was determined that the operator of the vehicle was Matthew W. Katona, a 32-year-old male from Tobyhanna. Katona possessed multiple warrants out of Monroe County. The investigation also determined that Katona was most likely still in the area due to having no forms of cellular communication in his possession. 

On February 18, 2023, at approximately 03:22AM officers responded to a residence on Jupiter Court in Bartonsville for a report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival forced entry was observed and a Chevrolet Avalanche pickup was discovered to have been stolen from the residence. Surveillance footage showed that a white male suspect had made entry into the residence, ransacked it and then fled in the stolen pickup. The male was later discovered to be Katona.

At 09:15AM officers with the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department located the stolen Chevrolet pickup in the area of Graham Lane in Tobyhanna. Officers discovered that Katona was inside of a nearby residence and subsequently took him into custody after he resisted arrest (Charges for assaulting a police animal and resisting arrest were filed by Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department). 

Katona was transported to the Monroe County Correctional Facility where he was arraigned, and bail was set at $25,000 by MDJ Michael Muth.  Additional charges to follow. 

The Pocono Township Police Department would like to thank the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.