Man attempts to 'run people over'
A Butler man has been jailed on charges he tried to run over two women with his sport utility vehicle last week.
Butler police Monday arrested 56-year-old Jeffrey E. Perritt on felony assault and other charges in connection with the incident May 25 on the 200 block of North Monroe Street.
No one was injured.
Police said they were called about 8 p.m. for a report of a vehicle “trying to run people over.”
Officers got there and identified a witness, 41-year-old Sara Davis of Butler, and one of the victims, 28-year-old Brittany Souders of Butler.
Both women told police that a gray Mitsubishi SUV had driven onto the sidewalk “in an attempt to strike Souders and her friend Tasha Robinson,” according to court documents.
Moments earlier, police said, Souders recounted that Perritt had approached her and Robinson, 25, of Center Township, looking to buy drugs.
Souders denied the request, according to a police report, and the defendant got angry.
After he allegedly attempted to hit the women with his vehicle, he backed up and nearly struck another unidentified pedestrian who was on the other side of the road.
Souders told officers that she only knew the suspect by the name “Jeff,” police said.
Davis managed to shoot photos of the vehicle — and license plate — with her cell phone before the driver's getaway.
Police subsequently traced the license plate to Perritt. Officers went to his home but he was not there. Police, however, found the vehicle in a nearby parking lot.
Davis was later shown a photo of the defendant, who she identified as the driver.
Butler Township police took Perritt into custody about 10:15 p.m. Monday after he was caught making a fraudulent return at the Butler Commons' Wal-Mart.
Store surveillance video, according to a police report, showed him taking two containers of baby wipes, which he returned for money using an old receipt.
Township police also learned that Perritt was wanted on a bench warrant. City police subsequently arrested him for the alleged attempted vehicle attack.
He was arraigned Tuesday on a felony charge of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment.
He is being held in Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Monday.
Township police on Wednesday charged him with misdemeanor theft by deception.
