A Waynesburg man is in McKean County Jail after he allegedly threatened to “shoot up” Busty Heart’s Place, then led state police on a high-speed chase early Sunday.
Robert E. Denman Jr., 39, of Waynesburg, Greene County, was arraigned Sunday morning before District Judge Richard Luther on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, a third-degree felony; two counts of terroristic threats, first-degree misdemeanors; simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, second-degree misdemeanors; harassment and two counts of disorderly conduct, third-degree misdemeanors; and DUI-general impairment, a misdemeanor.
Denman also faces the following summary charges: eight counts each of failure to keep right and disregard traffic lane; two counts of exceeding the maximum speed limit established by 25 mph; and one count each of public drunkenness, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, turning movements and required signals, driving at a safe speed, exceed 25 mph in residence district by 35 mph, careless driving, reckless driving and failure to use safety belt.
According to the criminal complaint, at 1:02 a.m. Sunday, state police were dispatched to Busty Heart’s Place in Turtlepoint for a man threatening another person with a gun and threatening to “shoot up” the establishment. There, police learned that Denman had been thrown out of the place because he was “intoxicated and belligerent.” Security footage showed him wearing jeans, a plaid shirt and a white cowboy hat.
A male told police that while en route to Denman’s residence, Denman said he was going to come back to Busty’s with a gun, shoot the male, then shoot “the whole place up,” the complaint stated. The male dropped Denman off at his pick-up truck by the Two Mile Inn in Port Allegany.
Police drove to Port Allegany Borough, where they spotted a pick-up truck resembling Denman’s that was traveling south on Route 155. Police determined the truck was registered to Denman and saw the operator to be wearing a white cowboy hat.
The truck pulled into Sheetz, so troopers drove toward the driver’s side door and tried to talk to Denman; he put the truck in reverse and started to drive away, according to the complaint, which said Denman then “drove away at a high rate of speed, almost crashing into a gas pump.”
Denman started driving north on Main Street, Port Allegany, while police pursued him with the emergency lights and siren activated, court records stated. When he reached the area near the Two Mile Inn, he turned left into his cousin’s yard.
Police removed him from the truck and placed him under arrest. A trooper tried to administer a field sobriety test on Denman, who smelled strongly of alcohol, but Denman was unable to follow instructions and stimuli, according to court records.
Denman also has a warrant from Pennsylvania State Parole for a parole violation, the complaint stated.
Court records indicate Denman is still on state supervision for an aggravated assault that happened in 2012 in McKean County. He was sentenced in August 2012 to five to 12 years in state prison.
The circumstances behind the 2012 assault were similar to those alleged in the new case.
In the 2012 case, Denman had pleaded guilty to allegations that he went drinking with an acquaintance at several bars, and he was asked to leave the Hotel Holley because he was arguing with the acquaintance. After the pair left the bar, Denman struck the man in the face several times and took $636 from him.
Court records also state that he was scheduled to appear in Plea Court last week on Wednesday in Greene County for a charge of accident involving damage to attended vehicle and summary charges. A bench warrant for Denman was prepared that same day in Greene County, records indicate.
Denman is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. He has a Central Court appearance scheduled for Thursday.
