Trooper killed, another shot, trying to rescue child

Miller Lombardo COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP - "We are confident that the heroic actions of the state troopers and local police officers yesterday saved the life of a 9-year-old boy”, said State Police Commissioner Col. Frank Pawlowski, during an afternoon news conference, following the Sunday night death of Trooper Joshua Miller and wounding of Trooper Robert Lombardo. Both troopers, assigned to the Swiftwater barracks, had rushed a vehicle used by Daniel Autenrieth, 31, of Palmer, who had led police on a 40-mile chase after kidnapping his own son at gunpoint, from his estranged wife's home in Nazareth. Autenrieth started firing after troopers had forced his car to crash on Route 611 in Tobyhanna. Miller and Lombardo, sensing the boy’s life was in danger, rushed the car, returning fire and killing Autenrieth. Miller was mortally wounded. He died a short time later at an area hospital. Lombardo was treated for an arm wound and released from the hospital late yesterday. “They made a split-second decision to extract that child”, said Pawlowski. “Tpr. Miller died carrying out his sworn duty to protect the citizens of the commonwealth,” Governor Rendell said, in a statement released earlier. Rendell ordered all flags to half staff, through Friday. "Trooper Miller was working to make Pennsylvania a safer place to live and raise his family", said Attorney General Tom Corbett, also in a released statement. A long procession of police vehicles accompanied Miller’s body from Lehigh county, stopping at the Swiftwater barracks in Monroe County, then to his hometown of Pittston. Miller leaves a wife, also a trooper, and three children. Meanwhile, the investigation of what caused Autenrieth to do what he did continues. What has been revealed, so far, is that the father, and his wife, had separated. The wife had filed for a protection from abuse (PFA) order. Autenrieth, however, had three of his children, Sunday night, apparently for an arranged visitation. He had returned them to his wife’s Nazareth home, when they got into an argument. That’s when he apparently pulled a gun, grabbed son, and left the house at about 7:45 p.m. The wife called police. Several police departments joined in the 40-mile pursuit that ended, tragically, 45 minutes later.