Man charged with ramming state trooper re-arrested
For the second time in 2½ weeks, David R. Coleman, 50, of Butler was arrested, arraigned and locked up on the same charges.
The scenario played out Tuesday after Coleman — wanted on an arrest warrant since Friday — turned himself in to police at the Butler Government Center.
He’s accused of deliberately ramming a state trooper’s cruiser during a police chase March 30 in Butler and Butler Township.
The initial case was dismissed Thursday when the investigating trooper, who was out of town at a police training conference, did not appear in court for a preliminary hearing.
The dismissal vacated Coleman’s $100,000 bail and allowed him to walk out of Butler County Prison.
Police, after refiling charges, went looking for Coleman over the next few days but to no avail. They believe he was trying to avoid arrest.
But after a telephone conversation with his attorney Monday Coleman agreed to give himself up.
Public Defender Joseph Smith contacted the district attorney’s office and the two sides hammered out an agreement for a lower bail: $25,000, this time.
A full story appears in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.
