Robbery suspect also faces escape charge
A Somerset Township man who was charged last month with robbing a local convenience store with a toy gun faces new accusations he briefly escaped from state police the day of his arrest in the case.
District Judge Curtis Thompson on Monday signed a warrant for the arrest of Robert W. Petrick Jr., 23, of 159 Almond Road, on a charge of escape, court records show.
Petrick was accused of running from state troopers as they walked out of his residence to go into the basement to retrieve the bandana Petrick allegedly used in the June 23 robbery of the Sunoco at Routes 136 and 519, the affidavit states.
Petrick was accused of running down Almond Road about 3 p.m. and into a field, where a trooper apprehended him again, the record indicates.
Police caught up with Petrick quickly after the store was robbed at gunpoint of $225 by driving from the store to his residence, where the engine on the suspected getaway vehicle was still warm. Petrick was awaiting sentencing that day in Washington County Court for robbing three Bentleyville businesses in January 2015 and a convenience store across the street from the Somerset Sunoco a month later.
Police said they took Petrick back to his residence June 23 and removed his handcuffs to allow him to show troopers the gun he allegedly used in the Sunoco robbery, as well as the bandana. The weapon turned out to be a toy gun, the affidavit indicates.
Petrick was released from Washington County jail June 29 after he posted his $50,000 bond in the robbery case. Petrick remains at large on the escape charge.