Ryan Bigler

A Middlesex Township man being held without bail in Butler County Prison will now have a way out of jail while his case proceeds to trial.

Butler County Judge William Shaffer reinstated a bail for Ryan D. Bigler, 30, who has been in the jail since September after his bond was revoked over a protection from abuse order against him.

Bigler is charged with felony aggravated assault, trespass, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, misdemeanor stalking, possessing a firearm without a license, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with physical evidence, harassment, loitering and prowling at night, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana stemming from Feb. 17 when he was arrested.

Bigler has a complicated history with bonds.

Soon after his arrest, District Judge Wayne Seibel declined to set bail during a preliminary arraignment, ruling Bigler was a risk to the community.

And later, Magisterial District Judge Lewis Stoughton denied an agreement reached between his defense attorney and assistant district attorney Russell Karl wherein Bigler would be released on house arrest with electronic monitoring.

Stoughton said that he denied bail because he “thought he (Bigler) was a threat to society,” according to earlier reporting.

In March, Bigler faced another denial, this time from President Judge Thomas Doerr. Finally, in April, Bigler got his break and had his bail set and posted at $50,000. But after the protection from abuse order, Bigler was back in jail in September. Since then, the order has been resolved, paving the way for Shaffer to set his bail at $50,000. Upon his release, Bigler will be on pretrial supervision and subjected to a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Bigler's troubles started on Feb. 17 when police said he appeared at the home of Jeremy and Erica Scruggs just before midnight. The couple claimed Bigler was stalking them since mid-January, allegedly sending the couple text message images of guns and threats to harm them.

Jeremy Scruggs told police that night that 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.”

The shots missed and no one was hurt. 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.

A short while later, troopers found him on Star Grille Road, where a homeowner there reported a suspicious man. They also allegedly found the bag stuffed with ammunition, cash and other items.

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

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

A search of the vehicle allegedly revealed a number of items with an unknown white residue on them, eight Suboxone strips and pills in a plastic bag as well as a gun laser, more ammunition and additional currency.