HANOVER TWP, PA — Police in Hanover Township said an 18-year-old man faces charges after officers found a woman injured near West End Plaza on Tuesday afternoon. Officers were patrolling West End Road when they came across the woman on the ground around 12:45 p.m.

According to police, bystanders then pointed officers toward a suspect running away from the area. Officers caught up with Ramon Banks a short distance from the scene and took him into custody in connection with the reported assault.

Officers were already nearby when they found the woman on the ground

The encounter began during a routine patrol on West End Road, police said. Officers saw the injured woman and stopped to check on her as people nearby tried to direct them toward the person they believed was responsible.

That quick response mattered because the suspect was still close enough to be found nearby, according to police. Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the woman’s injuries or what happened immediately before officers arrived.

The woman was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley for treatment. Police did not say how serious her injuries were, but they did describe her as injured when officers found her.

Police say Ramon Banks was apprehended a short distance from the scene

Police identified the suspect as Ramon Banks, who they said was apprehended not far from where the woman was discovered. Officers tied him to the reported assault after the short pursuit from the plaza area.

The case moved quickly after the arrest, with Banks being arraigned before District Judge David Barilla. The charge information released by police focused on the immediate events around the plaza and the alleged assault that prompted the arrest.

No further details were provided about whether anyone else was involved or whether police recovered any items during the arrest. Investigators have not said whether the encounter was random or if the people involved knew each other.

Court dates are now set in Luzerne County

Banks is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Sept. 30 at Luzerne County Central Court in Wilkes-Barre. That hearing will be the next formal step in the case as it moves through the local court system.

At a preliminary hearing, a judge typically considers whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed. Police have not publicly outlined additional evidence beyond the account of officers, bystanders, and the arrest near West End Plaza.

The arraignment before Judge Barilla placed Banks under the court process soon after the Tuesday afternoon arrest. The county court hearing date gives the case a timeline that now stretches into the end of the month.

West End Plaza area remained the center of the response

The incident drew attention to the West End Plaza area of Hanover Township, where officers were already patrolling when they found the woman. Police said the location on West End Road became the focus of the response after the injured woman was spotted on the ground.

Bystanders also played a direct role by helping officers identify the person they believed was fleeing. That information appears to have helped officers reach the suspect quickly and make the arrest nearby.

The police account did not mention any broader threat to the public or any additional incidents connected to the plaza. For now, the reported assault appears to be limited to the encounter that unfolded Tuesday afternoon near the shopping area.

What police have and have not said about the assault

Police have confirmed the arrest, the woman’s transport to the hospital, and the court date for Banks. They also said the woman was found during patrols and that bystanders helped identify a fleeing suspect.

Beyond that, officials have not released a motive, a detailed description of the confrontation, or the extent of the woman’s injuries. They also have not said whether additional charges could be filed later.

The case remains in its early stages, with the next public milestone set for Sept. 30 in Luzerne County Central Court. Until then, the arrest and the police account remain the main public details available about what happened near West End Plaza.