SWATARA, Pa. — After almost 20 years on the bench, a Dauphin County Judge died last week while riding his bike.
Magisterial District Court judge Michael J. Smith, 72, died on July 4, 2025 while cycling in Lebanon. Smith collapsed and was not struck, according to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo. He later died at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Smith was elected to preside over the Magisterial District Court 12-2-01 in 2005 and won reelection in 2011 and 2017. An order from the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas was issued July 9 that temporarily reassigns cases to other courts…