More charges filed against men
BUTLER TWP — Two men jailed for weeks on a list of alleged crimes — including intentionally ramming a pair of police cars and assaulting a city man and trying to break into his home — are facing even more felony charges.
In the latest cases filed Monday against Butler's Joshua M. McBride, 27, and Ryan Z. Wilson, 28, Butler Township police accused the defendants in a Dec. 22 shoplifing-turned-theft at the Lowe's store at Moraine Pointe Plaza.
Police said an investigation determined that McBride drove Wilson to the store around 1:30 p.m. to steal merchandise, which totaled $1,773.
The alleged shoplifting became violent, according to a police report, when Wilson struck and pushed a 67-year-old employee in the parking lot, causing the worker to fall on the pavement.
The employee hit his head on the blacktop, police said, and he needed medical care for a shoulder injury.
Wilson abandoned the merchandise, jumped into the getaway car that McBride was driving, and the defendants sped off, police said.
Wilson is charged with aggravated assault, robbery, retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft, all felonies.
McBride is charged with a felony count of conspiracy to commit retail theft.
Township police also charged Wilson on Monday in an unrelated case of shoplifting at the same Lowe's store Dec. 19. Security cameras caught Wilson taking $927 in merchandise, a police report said.
He is charged with a felony count of retail theft and a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property.
Both defendants have been in the Butler County Prison since Dec. 22, when they were arrested after allegedly leading Butler police on a chase that left three city officers injured.
The chase started around 2:15 a.m. after police attempted to pull over a stolen sport utility vehicle that McBride was driving on Chestnut Street. Wilson was a passenger.
Police recognized the men and knew they were wanted on warrants in connection with a prior shoplifting in the township.
According to court documents, McBride refused to stop and continued north on Mercer Road, but the vehicle was eventually slowed by spike strips deployed by township police.McBride then purposely struck a marked city patrol vehicle and then hit another one, Butler police said.He and Wilson ran away after their vehicle drove over an embankment in the Crossfire Church parking lot at Mercer Road and Route 8 in Center Township, police said.Allegedly intoxicated, McBride was nabbed with assistance from state police. He resisted while being arrested, police said, and he was later taken to Butler Memorial Hospital after complaining about burning skin from using cocaine.The injured officers were treated and subsequently returned to work. Wilson was later captured.McBride is charged with six felonies — two counts each of aggravated assault and aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and one count each of fleeing or attempting to elude police and receiving stolen property.Additionally, he is charged with DUI and resisting arrest.Wilson is charged in the incident with felony retail theft and misdemeanor receiving stolen property.In yet another unrelated case, Butler police accused the defendants of teaming up Dec. 16 to assault a man and trying to force their way into his home on Hansen Avenue.Both are charged with felony counts of trespass and conspiracy and misdemeanor assault.
