Connellsville residents to stand trial in robbery
Two Connellsville residents will stand trial for allegedly robbing a convenience store and violently beating a man during the heist.
Connellsville police said Francis Straughters Jr., 28, and Edith Porterfield, 34, both of 304 E. Green St., were each charged before Magisterial District Judge Ronald J. Haggerty Jr. with criminal conspiracy, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats, theft, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct.
Additionally, Straughters was charged with a second count of conspiracy to commit robbery and a count of conspiracy to commit theft.
Porterfield also was charged with attempted robbery and attempted theft, police said.
Haggerty held all charges against both suspects for Fayette County Court following preliminary hearings Thursday.
Connellsville police said the robbery occurred early Feb. 4 at the Reddy Sunoco A-Plus on Memorial Boulevard.
The alleged robbery took place at about 6:13 a.m. However, Porterfield was in the store an hour before to see how many others were inside, police said.
Shortly after 6 a.m., 911 reported to police that a robbery was in progress, however, when police arrived Straughters and Porterfield already had fled the store.
Investigators said that officers discovered Zane Long, 65, of Connellsville, inside the store and suffering multiple injuries after being beaten with a crescent wrench. He was treated at Highlands Hospital in Connellsville. Police said Long does some custodial work at the store.
Straughters told Long that if he didn’t turn over the store money he would kill him, according the criminal complaint filed with the office of Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr.
A female employee at the store was not injured, police said.
Straughters stole more than $200 in cash and multiple packs of cigarettes from the store while Porterfield waited in a nearby car, police said.
Straughters and Porterfield remain in Fayette County Prison on $50,000 straight cash bond.