Suspect arraigned in store robbery
A man accused of robbing a Masontown store with a gun before fleeing on an all-terrain vehicle in September was arraigned on the charges Wednesday. Chad St. Clair, 25, of Masontown was charged with two counts of armed robbery and one count each of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment of another, making terroristic threats and carrying a firearm without a license.
St. Clair was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Randy Abraham and placed in Fayette County Prison after failing to post a $250,000 straight cash bond.
Masontown police Chief Rich Barron said officers have been trailing St. Clair since the robbery occurred.
Police allege that St. Clair robbed Church Avenue General Store on West Church Avenue on Sept. 19.
According to police, St. Clair allegedly entered the store around 3:30 p.m. wearing a mask and demanded that a woman employee give him money from the cash register.
Police said the woman refused and that St. Clair shot the cash register with a handgun. He then allegedly grabbed money from the register and fled the scene on an ATV, police said.
Barron said two employees were in the store when the robbery occurred but said no one was injured.
According to Barron, police received several tips from the public and were tracking St. Clair’s whereabouts when he was arrested in Franklin County on Nov. 16.
Barron said Washington Township police arrested St. Clair after officers spotted a suspicious van at a service station.
When police ran the license plate number on the van, it came back stolen, Barron said, noting that St. Clair led police on a brief foot chase before being arrested.
Court records indicate Washington Township police charged St. Clair with receiving stolen property and resisting as a result of that incident.
St. Clair was arraigned on the charges before Magisterial District Judge Larry G. Pentz and placed in Franklin County Prison on a $20,000 bond.
Barron said St. Clair has been in Franklin County Prison since the incident and was extradited to Fayette County for his arraignment before Abraham.
St. Clair, on the run from Masontown police, also had previously fled to Nebraska to avoid capture, according to Barron.
Barron said charges are pending against St. Clair in Nebraska, noting that he will be extradited to that state following court hearings on the armed robbery charges.
St. Clair’s preliminary hearing on the armed robbery charges is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31 before Abraham.