The Catasauqua police officer who was injured in a confrontation that led to the death of a man Feb. 23 remains on medical leave, recovering from his injuries, according to Catasauqua Police Chief Douglas Kish.

The chief told The Press last week 36-year-old Scott Rothrock was still under the supervision of a doctor at that time.

Catasauqua Police Officer Donald Stratton, 30, also involved in the police chase that led to the death of 42-year-old Jerome D. Nichols of 526 Race St., Catasauqua, has now returned to active duty. Stratton had served a few weeks of administrative duty while the incident was under investigation.

The incident began around 3 a.m. with a home invasion at 2112 Main St., Whitehall. There, Whitehall Township police, answering a 911 call, found Jacquelyn E. Leibenguth, 49, who had been stabbed in the chest. She said Nichols, a former boyfriend, was responsible for her wound and had left the scene.

"We're glad the investigation is complete," Kish said following the release of Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin's ruling on the case. Martin's ruling followed a detailed investigation of the incident by Pennsylvania State Police.

A comprehensive report released by Martin last week gave details not previously released about the sequence of events.

According to the report, Rothrock and Stratton were both on patrol duty at the time, parked in separate police vehicles at the George Taylor House parking lot, when they heard a police radio transmission about the incident. Both officers shortly identified Nichols' vehicle and pursued it in Catasauqua, Hanover Township and Allentown along Race, Lehigh and Irving streets and Union Boulevard, across the Coca-Cola Park property and onto American Parkway.

Traveling south on Airport Road, two state police officers, in the same patrol car, joined the pursuit on American Parkway to East Columbia Street and North Plymouth Street, where Nichols' vehicle left the road and came to rest in a snow bank.

The state troopers were identified by Martin in his report as Joseph Mitzak, 29, and Daniel Jones, 24.

Mitzak reported seeing Nichols exit his car and immediately dive into the back seat, coming out with a large knife.

The four officers then pursued Nichols on foot, identifying themselves as police and ordering Nichols to stop. During the pursuit, Rothrock deployed his Taser, but it was ineffective because Nichols wore multiple layers of heavy clothing.

During the struggle, Nichols thrust his knife at Rothrock, who was wearing a protective vest, and the two men fell to the ground, with Nichols on top and continuing to thrust the knife. After multiple attempts, the blade struck an unprotected area below Rothrock's left rear shoulder area.

Police describe the knife as a butcher knife, 13 inches long, with an 8-inch blade. It is believed to be the same knife that had been used to stab Leibenguth.

At this point, Mitzak and Stratton were able to take clear shots at Nichols with their police revolvers. Three rounds were fired, two by Mitzak and one by Stratton.

Nichols died at the scene. Stratton administered first aid to Rothrock until emergency personnel arrived.

Rothrock was treated at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where he underwent surgery and was released the following day.

Leibenguth was admitted to Lehigh Valley Hospital for five days, where she was treated for a stab wound to the chest and two broken ribs.

According to a coroner's report, Nichols died of gunshot wounds to the torso. No drugs or alcohol were found in the body of the deceased.

In their investigation at the home of Leibenguth, Whitehall police found severed utility wires, a smashed rear window and vandalism to Leibenguth's car, including four flat tires, a tar-like substance poured over the vehicle and damage to both side-view mirrors.

Police say Leibenguth's son, Jacob, 18, told them he was awakened by his mother's screams. He said he went to her bedroom and found her bleeding from a shoulder wound.

According to the report, Leibenguth told police that she awoke to find Nichols standing over her. He was holding a large butcher knife and told her to remove her clothing, she said. When she refused, Nichols stabbed her in the left chest/shoulder area and fled her home, she said.

Leibenguth and Nichols had been in a relationship for about two years, according to the report. They had been living together until she ended the relationship two weeks before the incident.

Leibenguth was able to give police the make and model of Nichols' vehicle and his place of residence.

In Martin's ruling, he said the evidence shows clearly that Nichols chose not to stop when it was clear he was being pursued by police officers and that he intended to do them harm.

"The discharge of firearms by Trooper Mitzak and Officer Stratton was entirely justified on the basis that each held a reasonable belief that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent the death of, or serious bodily injury to, Officer Rothrock and/or themselves," he wrote. He added Nichols clearly "brought about his own demise."

Kish indicated he understood the truth of what happened that morning, long before Martin released his ruling.

"We felt the officers did their job right after the incident," he said.