SAXONBURG — A man accused of trying to run over a homeowner in Winfield Township earlier this month will remain in Butler County Prison without bail.

State police said that during the Feb. 17 altercation on Spiker Road, the homeowner, fearing for his safety, fired two shots at the sport utility vehicle Ryan D. Bigler was driving.

The shots missed and no one was hurt.

Troopers later arrested Bigler, 30, of Penn Township for felony assault and drug possession and numerous other charges.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton on Wednesday denied a request by Bigler's attorney for a non-monetary bond that would allow his client out of jail.

The move came before Bigler's preliminary hearing in Saxonburg. He later waived his hearing on the advice of defense attorney Fred Rabner of Pittsburgh.

“This appears to be an isolated area in his life that's gone bad,” Rabner told Stoughton.

Police said Bigler about 11:30 p.m. appeared at the home of Jeremy and Erica Scruggs. The couple claimed Bigler had been stalking them since mid-January.

During that time, according to court documents, he allegedly sent the couple text messages that included pictures of guns and threatened to harm them.

Jeremy Scruggs told police that when he returned home that night and was backing his pickup truck into his garage, he spotted Bigler's SUV at the end of the driveway.

Moments later the vehicle began to accelerate toward Scruggs.

“Fearing the vehicle would hit him,” according to a police affidavit, “(Scruggs) pulled a gun from his waistband and fired two rounds at the moving vehicle.”

Police identified the gun as a .45-caliber pistol.

Bigler stopped and backed up, but his SUV ran into a tree, disabling it.

When the homeowner went into his house to call 911, police said, Bigler left, taking his own handgun and a bag filled with ammunition, women's jewelry, two single-ounce gold squares and reportedly about $19,000 in currency.

Troopers a short time later found him on Star Grille Road, where a homeowner there reported a suspicious man. They also found the bag stuffed with ammo, cash and other items.

In a nearby creek, police said they found Bigler's 9 mm pistol, which he had hidden.

During an interview at the barracks, documents said, Bigler admitted going to the victims' home but said he “was fearful when (Scruggs) fired a gun at him.”

Police subsequently learned that he does not have a concealed carry license for the firearm. They also learned that he had rented the SUV he was driving that night.

Troopers the following day obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. The search turned up suspected drugs and other contraband, police said.

Among the property seized were a number of items with an unknown white residue on them, eight Suboxone strips and pills in a plastic bag. Troopers also found a gun laser, more ammunition and additional currency.

At Bigler's preliminary arraignment, on-call District Judge Wayne Seibel declined bail, ruling the defendant was a risk to the community.

But at Wednesday's court proceeding, Rabner argued that his client posed no such danger.

“There's absolutely no risk of flight or danger to the community,” he said, “by releasing him.”

He told Stoughton that Bigler has no prior criminal record and has lived in the area his entire life. He also pointed out that Bigler's father and grandparents were in court to support him.

Despite the arguments, Stoughton refused to set bail.

“We put (defendants) in jail not because we're mad at them, but because we're afraid of them,” Stoughton said, citing the words he once heard delivered from another judge.

Outside the courtroom, Rabner defended Bigler and said he would quickly ask for a bond hearing in Butler County Court.

“It's important to note that my client was shot at by the supposed victim,” the attorney said. “While there may be a back story here that the court needs to sort out, he should be given a bond.”

Rabner refused to discuss the specific allegations in the investigation.

Police and the victims Wednesday also declined to comment about the case.

In all, Bigler is charged with aggravated assault, trespass, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, stalking, possessing a firearm without a concealed carry license, possessing an instrument of crime and tampering with physical evidence.

He also is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, possession of a small amount of marijuana, harassment, and loitering and prowling at night.