Suspect charged in California assault
CALIFORNIA – A Uniontown man has been charged with robbing a man at gunpoint in California last week and with assaulting a woman at a California apartment last month. Corey D. Johnson Jr., 28, was charged before Magisterial District Judge William Pelkey with robbery, aggravated assault, unauthorized use of an automobile, recklessly endangering another person, theft and harassment stemming from the robbery, which occurred May 21.
According to California Police Chief Rick Encapera, Johnson allegedly took a vehicle from the California Terrace Apartments without permission and then confronted a person on Ellsworth Street at gunpoint. He robbed several items from the unidentified man, Encapera said. The robbery occurred just after 1 a.m.
Johnson also was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful restraint and recklessly endangering another person for an unrelated incident in which he allegedly duct-taped an unidentified woman to a chair and assaulted her, Encapera said.
Police said the woman suffered injuries in the attack, which occurred at 6:43 p.m. April 8. She was treated at the Uniontown Hospital. The assault occurred in an apartment unit at the California Terrace Apartments, police said.
Encapera said that Rachel Anderson, 23, of California also has been charged with unlawful restraint in connection with the assault April 8 after she allegedly assisted Johnson. Additionally, Anderson was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after police found drug-related items in her apartment when they were searching for Johnson.
Johnson has been in and out of prison for the last decade for cases ranging from aggravated assault to risking a catastrophe, court records indicate.
He pleaded guilty to charges of retail theft for six separate cases between 2000 and 2002.
Johnson was placed in the Washington County Jail on $150,000 straight cash bail.
He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing today before Pelkey.