Patrolman Thomas Henry Kintzer

Thomas Henry Kintzer

Patrolman Thomas Kintzer suffered a fatal heart attack while arresting an intoxicated subject who assaulted him on Schuylkill Avenue near Windsor Street.

While off duty, Patrolman Kintzer was walking to a store near his home when he was unexpectedly assaulted and pushed against a tree striking his head. As he was on top of the subject and attempted to tell a bystander to grab his keys for the call box to call for help he suffered a fatal heart attack. The subject managed to push Patrolman Kintzer off of him and walked away from the scene where he was arrested a couple blocks away several minutes later.

The subject was arrested and charged with manslaughter but acquitted by a coroner's jury the following week. The coroner's jury exonerated the subject stating that Patrolman Kinzter was not physically fit enough to perform his duties as a police officer and ordered the Reading Police Department to perform periodical physical examinations on their officers.

Patrolman Kintzer served with the Reading Police Department for more than 12 years. He was survived by his wife and five children.