CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — A wanted man was taken into police custody following a foot pursuit in Clarion Borough on Tuesday morning.
According to Clarion Borough Police Chief William Peck, 29-year-old Justin Hendricks, of Clarion, was taken into custody following a foot pursuit near Seidle Chevrolet in Clarion Borough.
Chief Peck said officers of the Clarion Borough Police Department went to a residence in Clarion Borough on Tuesday morning to serve a warrant on Hendricks. When the officers arrived, Hendricks jumped from a second story window in an attempt to elude police.
Zachary Garbarino, of Clarion, spoke to exploreClarion.com about a part of the chase that he witnessed as the foot pursuit passed Seidle Chevrolet.
“As we were sitting in the showroom, I saw an African American man sprint across the lot, which was unusual. Then, I saw an officer following,” Garbarino said. “It was obvious they had been running.”
Garbarino said that the man cut through the yards of several private properties on Sunset Drive before entering and attempting to hide in a tree line where he was then surrounded by four or five officers. He said the man then managed to get away again, heading to the east.
According to a criminal complaint, around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, Chief William Peck arrived at a residence on Sheridan Road in Clarion Borough to serve a bench warrant on Justin Hendricks for failure to appear in court.
Chief Peck arrived at the location before the Sheriff’s Department showed up and knocked on the back door. As he knocked, he saw Hendricks inside the kitchen and walking away into the living room. The door was then opened by another person in the residence who yelled for Hendricks to come to the door.
Chief Peck indicated that he could see Hendricks running through the house. Chief Peck entered the kitchen, and Hendricks attempted to exit from another door, so Chief Peck returned outside. When Chief Peck entered the house a second time, Hendricks ran up the stairs to the second floor. Chief Peck then returned outside to set up a perimeter and wait for the other officers to arrive, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Hendricks then jumped from a second story window on the north side of the residence and ran away on foot.
Chief Peck followed Hendricks as he ran north across East Main Street and into the back yards on Sunset Drive. Chief Peck called out the following description of Hendricks to the sheriff’s units and Clarion Borough officers who were arriving in the area: a black male wearing a black shirt, black shorts, and a black cloth on his head.
Officer Zerfoss was then able to take Hendricks into custody at Woodlawn Avenue and East Liberty Street.
Deputy Swartsfager then advised Chief Peck that he had seen Hendricks attempting to enter a residence on Sunset Drive. Chief Peck returned to that residence and met the homeowner who was armed with a revolver in his hand.
According to the complaint, the homeowner stated he was in his back room — which can be accessed by a sliding patio door — when a black man wearing a black shirt and a black stocking on his head slid the screen door open and attempted to slide the sliding door open, but it was locked. The homeowner said he got his gun because the man was attempting to enter his house.
Hendricks was arraigned at 11:56 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, in Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on the following charges:
– Criminal Trespass-Enter Structure, Felony 3
– Flight To Avoid Apprehension/Trial/Punishment, Misdemeanor 2
Unable to post $20,000.00 cash bail, he was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:54 a.m. on Tuesday, August 21, with Judge Quinn presiding.
RELATED:
