Neighbors Track Down Knox Man Accused of Stealing ATV, Hold Him Until Police Arrive

Jill McDermott

Jill McDermott

Published January 24, 2020 5:44 am
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ASHLAND TWP., Pa. (EYT) – When a Knox man allegedly stole an ATV on Saturday in Ninevah, three of the victim’s neighbors came together to make sure he didn’t get away with it.

(PHOTO: An example of a Polaris Ranger. Courtesy Spike Power Sports/Polaris.)

According to Clarion-based State Police, the incident occurred around 5:31 p.m. Saturday when William Ellsworth May Jr., 29, allegedly stole a Polaris Ranger side-by-side from a residence along Starr Road in Ashland Township, Clarion County.

The ATV’s owner alerted neighbors to the incident. One of them was Bruce McHenry of Ninevah.

“What happened was, Crystal Bowser (the ATV’s owner), came home and said somebody stole their Ranger,” McHenry told exploreClarion.com. “We were at my house, and I live right along the road, and I told her we had seen it go down the road.”

McHenry said he didn’t think much about it at the time because he didn’t know who was driving the ATV.

About ten minutes later, McHenry said the ATV returned, traveling on the same road.

According to McHenry, he and some fellow neighbors tracked the ATV on foot and watched as it drove into a field.

McHenry and Eli Kahle, who lives with McHenry, followed the suspect on an ATV while Eric Sherry traveled behind in a vehicle.

“We went back and got our buggy (ATV),” McHenry recounted. “We tracked him through the field, and when we got to the back of the field, there he was.”

McHenry said the suspect, later identified as May, was trying to disassemble the ATV and was throwing the pieces he had removed onto the ground. As the three men approached, McHenry said May again took off on the ATV.

“We ended up chasing him about three-quarters of a mile on our four-wheelers,” said McHenry. “Then, he ran into a fence.”

Seemingly unhurt, McHenry said May tried to run away on foot, but the three men apprehended him.

When police arrived, they arrested May.

“When the cops came up, they called him by name. They didn’t have to ask him what his name was. They said they had been looking for him.”

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