State Rep Kevin Boyle’s Legal Predicament Might Not Be Over, Police Chief Says

Pennsylvania State Representative Kevin Boyle, who police say could still be arrested after a caught-on-video incident at a Rockledge bar last week (photo via Wikimedia/Creative Commons/Tom Wolf)

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State Rep Kevin Boyle’s Legal Predicament Might Not Be Over, Police Chief Says

When we learned on Friday about Pennsylvania State Representative Kevin Boyle’s caught-on-video bad behavior inside the Rockledge bar Gaul & Co. Malt House, it seemed that while Boyle was most certainly in the middle of a public relations nightmare, he had avoided any trouble with the law. Now, his legal future is a little less certain.

Reached on Tuesday afternoon, Rockledge police chief John Gallagher told Philly Mag that the incident was very much still under investigation. Police responded to the scene just after midnight last Thursday after a visually intoxicated Boyle had some choice words for employees of the bar. He threatened to use his political clout to have the establishment shut down. A portion of the incident appears in this video:

Chief Gallagher says the cops let Boyle go but that they could still arrest him based on the outcome of their investigation. “Everything is a bit delayed,” says Gallagher. “The video went viral on Friday, and we were running right into a very busy Super Bowl weekend.”

According to Gallagher, Boyle didn’t just threaten to have the bar shut down. He also allegedly threatened to hit some of the female employees. And he did initially leave when told to do so but then came back, says Gallagher, and caused more problems.

Gallagher insisted that the legal process regarding Boyle will remain “apolitical and neutral.”

Boyle’s office hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment. According to a statement by one Democratic leader in Harrisburg, Boyle is “getting help.” Meanwhile, the scandal caused Johnny Doc’s nephew to scramble and get on the ballot to run for Boyle’s seat.

Abandoned-Vehicle Complaints Top the List at 311

If you live in Philadelphia and haven’t used 311 yet, you’re probably doing things wrong. 311 is a useful tool for reporting quality-of-life issues in Philadelphia, from graffiti to potholes to abandoned vehicles on your block. The city may seem slow to respond to some things (when I reported a major ditch in a road near me, the city told me it would take several weeks to fix), but not in all cases. (I once reported graffiti that wound up being taken care of within a few days.) Axios has a breakdown of 311 complaints in Philadelphia from 2023, and abandoned vehicles were the top issue by far, followed by illegal dumping, graffiti removal and trash collection, in that order. And if you’ve never used 311 because you’ve never had a single complaint about city living, I want to hear from you!

Local Talent

You might remember me telling you about Purlie Victorious, the Broadway show starring Philly’s own Leslie Odom Jr., whom you probably saw first in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. (You may have also seen him in the latest Exorcist sequel, and if so, my condolences.) Reviews were rave for Purlie Victorious, and if you didn’t get a chance to see it, check out your local PBS station or the PBS app on May 24th. The station will broadcast Purlie Victorious as part of its Great Performances series.

By the Numbers

66%: Workers in Pennsylvania who can’t take paid leave to care for sick family members. But a group of powerful women is trying to change that.

1st: Ranking of Philadelphia on the list of the biggest U.S. cities where people are least likely to be married. Happy Valentine’s Day! To see how Philly dates these days, check out our 2023 feature that covers everything from those dating apps to the horny world of adult recreational sports leagues to important terms like kitten-fishing.

3.9 inches: Difference between the snowfall in the Shawmont section of Philadelphia on Tuesday (think: Roxborough) and at Philadelphia International Airport, with Shawmont recording 4.5 inches and the airport just six-tenths of an inch. Meanwhile, parts of Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties saw close to 10 inches. See a comprehensive list of snow totals here.

1: Philadelphia restaurants that will have an oyster dish named for Ivan Drago on the menu once Rhythm & Spirits opens at Suburban Station. Yes, Suburban Station. As far as I can tell, this is the first proper restaurant that’s ever existed inside the train station. (If you know otherwise, send me reader mail!)

And from the Be-Mine Sports Desk …

The Sixers’ final game before the All-Star break is tonight; we host the Heat here in Philly for Valentine’s Day, with a 7 p.m. tip-off, so hurry home from that romantic candlelight dinner to catch the action.

Is It Spring Training Yet?

Yes — it is! The Phillies’ pre-season officially begins today, with pitchers and catchers taking the field for their first workout in Clearwater. The first full-squad workout is this coming Monday. Play ball!

Any Doop News?

Yes, there is! They’ll play a Valentine’s Day friendly with New England, also in Florida, today at noon.

Any College Hoops News?

La Salle never really got its act together against Davidson last night in North Carolina. They were down 28-20 at the half, and they never could make up the difference. Final score: 71-56, dropping the Explorers to 11-and-14. On tonight’s schedule: The St. Joe’s Hawks are in Illinois to take on the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers at 8 p.m.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.