Jail time for man who busted patrol car window

BY STACI WILSON

A Hallstead man who broke out the window of a state police patrol car and broke away from officers at the Gibson barracks will serve jail time for the offenses.

Douglas Soller, 36, was sentenced Thursday in Susquehanna County Court to serve concurrent six to 23-1/2 months on three counts.

Earlier this month Soller pleaded guilty to simple assault; institutional vandalism (breaking the police car window); and escape.

District Attorney Jason Legg told the court that police had responded to a May 7 incident in Hallstead where Soller had attempted to choke a person. The victim submitted an impact statement to the court prior to the sentencing.

Legg said, “It was frightening – not only for the victim – but also for the state police.”

“He pushed a trooper and actually got outside of the barracks,” Legg said.

Soller’s sentence will run concurrent with a 45 day sentenced handed down June 27 in Bradford County on a misdemeanor fraud charge as well as a 12-month probationary sentenced issued by Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Hollister for a case involving vehicle crash.

In court, Soller apologized to the victim and said he hopes to get help while incarcerated.