Man Punched Wife in Palmer Bar, Police Say

A man is accused of punching his wife in the face inside a Palmer Township bar Friday night and then fleeing in his mother-in-law’s vehicle without permission, court records say.

Police say the alleged assault by suspect Robert John Vandever, 32, of Easton occurred at Rip Van Winkles pub, which is at the Bar-Don Lanes, 3700 Nicholas St.

Police arrived shortly after 11pm and were told a man fled in a green Jeep without the owner’s permission.

Township Officer John Smoke says in a criminal complaint that he spoke to Stephanie Vandever, who said her husband just assaulted her inside the bar.

Smoke saw a cut and bruising on her nose. “It was obvious she was struck in the face,” he said.

Stephanie Vandever said her husband took the keys to her mother’s vehicle – the green Jeep – without permission.

Palmer police asked Easton police for assistance. Easton officers found the Jeep at the suspect’s home, 1145 Butler St. They took Robert Vandever, a big man at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, into custody. They later transferred custody to Smoke.

Vandever was charged with simple assault, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and harassment. He was arraigned at 2:30am Saturday by on-duty District Judge Richard Yetter of Wilson and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.