Dalton Lee Janiczek, a 22-year-old resident of Lower Gwynedd, has a November trial date for the attempted murder of a Plymouth Township police officer in October 2025, The Reporter said.
The trial is expected to last three days. Jury selection will begin November 16.
On the afternoon of October 24, a Whitpain Township police officer found Janiczek’s vehicle parked at a hotel following reports of erratic driving. Officials said Janiczek put the car in reverse and struck the police car several times. The officer then got out of the car and told Janiczek to stop, and Janiczek responded by driving directly at the officer, attempting to hit him. The officer fired his weapon at the vehicle but was unsuccessful in stopping Janiczek.
Janiczek is then said to have continued accelerating his vehicle and hitting the officer. As the injured officer attempted to apply a tourniquet to a leg wound, the report states that Janiczek returned to where the officer was in the parking lot and struck the officer three additional times as he lay injured on the ground.
According to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, Janiczek “had been involved in several incidents in Montgomery and surrounding counties, including one call to 911 where the operator of the Mercedes G63 said he wanted to blow up a police station and harm/kill police officers.” His history of legal troubles includes 11 criminal charges since 2023, most related to reckless driving, according to records.
The officer cooperated with the investigation which involved interviews with numerous officers and witnesses. Officials also reviewed police bodycam, dashcam and bystander video, and collected extensive on-scene evidence, the DA said.
In November 2025, Steele announced that an investigation found that the officer’s actions were a lawful use of force. Our previous coverage, which includes brief footage of the incident, can be found here.
Janiczek was charged with multiple felonies, including Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer, Aggravated Assault, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, and related charges.
Photo: Montco DA