Man charged in Wal-Mart incidnet
SOUTH UNION TWP. – James Curtis Harrison, 20, of 60 Lemon St., Uniontown, was arrested by police Friday and charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking or disposition and simple assault for his alleged involvement in a Tuesday night Wal-Mart robbery. Harrison was arraigned before Senior Magisterial District Judge Lawrence Blair and committed to the Fayette County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint, filed in Blair’s South Union office by state police at Uniontown, Harrison and an unidentified white woman, allegedly took a portable DVD player and a CD player with speakers from the Wal-Mart in South Union Township, about 10 p.m. and shoved a 66-year-old female store greeter to the floor as they fled the store.
Blair issued a warrant Thursday for Harrison’s arrest after police identified the car he was driving from the license plate. Police said although the vehicle didn’t belong to Harrison they were able to track its ownership to a friend who lives at Hunters Ridge.
Trooper James Pierce said the store greeter, Evelyn Delores Machosky of Smock, injured her right hand and elbow when she was pushed into a security gate near the exit of the store and fell to the floor.
Police said Machosky tried to stop Harrison and the woman as they approached the exit because she saw some of the stereo equipment peeking out from under Harrison’s shirt.
Machosky told police that when she asked Harrison to remove the large object from under his shirt he said “no” and pushed her backward with his chest.
Machosky said she fell off balance and that’s when the female suspect, who also allegedly had some of the merchandise under her shirt, came to the door and shoved her to the floor.
Police said the store’s surveillance cameras filmed the couple’s get away in a red car. They also said the car was registered to Douglas Jay May Jr., 41, of 604 York St., Brownsville.
Police said when they interviewed May he told them that he had loaned the vehicle to Harrison at about 9 p.m. and Harrison returned the vehicle about an hour later.
Police said the investigation continues and they are still looking for the woman who is described as 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, with sandy blond hair, a medium built and in her 20s. She was wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans the night of the robbery, according to police.
Anybody with information is asked to call Pierce at 724-415-1012.
Harrison faces a preliminary hearing at a later date on the charges before Blair.