A Gifford man waived a preliminary hearing Wednesday for allegations he attempted two robberies at gunpoint in Clearfield County.
The Clearfield County accusations are part of a three-county crime spree Tyler J. Newman 19, of 3288 Route 646, Gifford, allegedly engaged in last week. Additional charges were filed Wednesday by Bradford City police in McKean County, and Ridgway Borough police in Elk County have indicated charges are pending there.
In Clearfield County, he is charged with two counts of robbery-threat of immediate serious injury, first-degree felonies; one count of robbery-inflict threat of immediate bodily injury, a second-degree felony; robbery-take property by force and two counts of terroristic threats, all third-degree felonies; theft by unlawful taking, a first-degree misdemeanor; two counts of recklessly endangering another person, second-degree misdemeanors; and two counts of summary harassment.
Several of the counts — including the three most serious robbery counts — were added after he was initially charged on Feb. 12.
According to the criminal complaint from District Judge Jerome Nevling’s office in Kylertown, Clearfield County, at 11:51 p.m. Feb. 11, Newman approached the counter of a Sheetz convenience store in Lawrence Township and placed two items on the counter.
The employee, Victoria Ritch, rang up the items, then saw Newman was allegedly “holding a handgun close against himself with the barrel of the handgun on the counter.” While staring at her, he held his left hand with the palm facing up, curling his fingers in a “beckoning hand gesture,” the complaint stated.
“Empty the register,” Newman allegedly told her.
She replied, “Are you kidding me?” Newman stared at her, put the gun in his jacket and “casually” left the store, according to the complaint.
At 12:14 a.m. Feb. 12, Newman entered the Kylertown Kwik Fill gas station at 73 Rolling Stone Road, Cooper Township, and “brandished what appeared to be a black and silver semi-automatic handgun,” court records said.
Newman pointed the firearm at employee William Mann and said, “Give me all the money in the register. Don’t worry, I’m not going to shoot you, it’s nothing personal,” the complaint stated.
According to court records, Mann gave Newman the money from the register — about $200 or $300 — then asked for a pack of Newport 100s cigarettes. Newman added, “Not to be greedy but give me a Bic lighter, too,” the complaint alleges.
Court records indicate Newman fled in a silver Nissan Xterra possibly heading south on Route 53. There was an active BOLO (Be on The Look Out) alert to area law enforcement agencies for the Xterra, as it was allegedly stolen out of Ridgway.
At 12:58 a.m. Feb. 12, Rockview-based state police made contact with Newman at a Sunoco truck stop in Snow Shoe and took him into custody. They allegedly discovered a silver and black BB gun and $286 in cash.
Newman confessed to the two robbery attempts to police while he was being transported to the state police barracks, court records indicate.
Newman is incarcerated in lieu of $250,000 in the Clearfield County Case.
Bradford City and Ridgway Borough police previously released some of the details for allegations in those counties. The alleged spree started in Bradford and moved south to Ridgway before ending up in Clearfield County.
According to police, Bradford City officers were dispatched at 9:05 p.m. Feb. 11 for a report of a vehicle theft at the Chestnut Street UniMart. Newman allegedly took a 2003 GMC Yukon sport utility vehicle and drove it south on U.S. Route 219.
At 10:15 p.m. Feb. 11, Ridgway Borough police were dispatched to a robbery report in the parking lot of Sheetz on North Broad Street, where Newman allegedly brandished a handgun at a motorist and took a 2000 Nissan Xterra SUV. From there, he continued traveling south on Route 219.
The Yukon was found abandoned in the Elk County Foods parking lot in Ridgway.
Regarding statements Newman made to police about killing multiple people, no evidence has been found to validate the claims.
Newman is scheduled to be arraigned today in McKean County before District Judge Dominic Cercone for two theft cases: a misdemeanor theft case from Feb. 2 and a felony theft case from Feb. 11, court records indicate. Both were filed by Bradford City Police.
