South Philly Review

Michael Robert Dixon, 29, of Williamstown, N.J., sped through a red light at 26th Street and Penrose Avenue at about 4:45 a.m. in a 2008 Subaru Outback that was reported stolen in Williamstown June 1, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When police attempted to pull him over for the violation, Dixon slammed into the Platt Bridge's side guardrail then jumped out of the car, Tolliver said. Perching himself on the edge of the bridge's westbound side, Dixon allegedly admitted to police -- who at this point had determined the vehicle was stolen -- that he had committed several heists in Bucks County and said, "I have nothing to live for. They are looking for me," Tolliver said.

Hours of negotiations lead to Dixon climbing over the railing three times towards safety before returning to the ledge and, at 9:15 a.m., he plunged to the cement underneath the bridge. Transported to Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Dixon was pronounced dead 12 minutes later.

Bucks County and Jersey police were on the lookout for Dixon for a June 11 bank robbery in Bensalem, as well as two in New Jersey -- one Nov. 8 in Deptford and another June 1 in Bellmawr. Dixon also was wanted for carjacking the Subaru.

Battered

Two teens were beaten with an aluminum bat after a man accused them of damaging his car during a game of Wiffle ball June 11.

The 16- and 17-year-olds were playing the game along the 2100 block of South Iseminger Street when the man confronted them at about 8:30 p.m., Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.

The man -- described as white, in his early 20s, 5-foot-8 with a medium build and wearing a gray T-shirt and dark sweatpants -- struck both teens multiple times leaving the younger with two broken left fingers, a fractured jaw and a head contusion and the older with a bruised upper left arm and a possible broken left wrist and arm.

The offender fled on foot in an unknown direction prior to police arrival and the teens were transported to Methodist Hospital in stable condition by a family member, Tolliver said.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.

Arrest connected to rampage

A man who allegedly attacked a 54-year-old while believed to be part of a large flash mob that terrorized South Street May 30 is the first -- and so far only -- arrest attached to the incident.

Stephen Lyde, 21, was arrested 11:30 a.m. Friday at his home on the 5400 block of Sansom Street. He was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, theft and riot, Capt. Laurence Nodiff of the 1st Police District said at a press conference Friday.

The man was walking along Broad and South streets on his way home from West Philadelphia at about 11:30 p.m. when eight men -- of which Lyde is charged with being a part of -- allegedly pummeled and robbed him of his wallet and credit cards and left him unconscious and bleeding in the street. With skull, face and rib fractures, the victim was transported to Hahnemann University Hospital and was on life support for several days, Nodiff said. Still in the hospital, the victim was listed in critical condition as of Monday.

Also that Saturday night, about 30 to 300 teens believed to have been connecting and told to convene on South via a social networking site vandalized a convenience store on Broad and Christian streets, assaulted a man with his own cane, a couple in a Jeep and a police officer on the 900 block of South Broad as well as a cab driver. One member of the mob also took the taxi and hit several cars on the 600 block of South 12th Street.