Teen charged as adult in robbery case
A Uniontown teenager is facing multiple charges as an adult for allegedly robbing a man at knifepoint in February. Uniontown police Officer Travis Shandor said Robert Harris, 17, was initially charged last month as a juvenile but noted that the charges were recently re-filed against Harris as an adult before Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros.
Charges against Harris include robbery and simple assault with a deadly weapon, Shandor said.
Shandor said the robbery occurred at 9:53 p.m. Feb. 24 as Jason Golden of Uniontown was walking on Lenox Street.
Golden told police that Harris approached him and asked for him for a match or cigarette lighter, Shandor said. Golden told police that he told Harris he did not have a light and said that the teen continued to walk past him before turning around abruptly, Shandor said.
Shandor said Harris grabbed Golden by the jacket while wielding a 12-inch knife and demanded Golden give him all his possessions.
When Golden told Harris he did not have anything with him, the teenager swung the knife toward Golden’s stomach.
Shandor said that a scuffle ensued during which Harris struck Golden in the face with the handle of the knife before fleeing the scene on foot.
Shandor said that Golden called police in June, nearly four months after the incident, and reported that he had just seen Harris at a location in Uniontown and could identify him for investigators.
A preliminary hearing for Harris will be held in September before Metros.