Law enforcement fires shots at fleeing man

BY STACI WILSON

Law enforcement officers fired multiple shots after a 19-year-old fled the Liberty Township scene where they were attempting to serve a warrant on him Monday, April 30.

According to a release issued by Pennsylvania State Police last Tuesday, troopers, along with officers from the Susquehanna County Probation  Department  arrived at a residence on Muckey Run Road to serve an arrest warrant on Elisha Newhart Jr. of Friendsville.

As law enforcement personnel arrived, Newhart got into a Ford 450 pick-up truck in an attempt to flee and drove his vehicle towards the arriving officers almost hitting them. Multiple shots were fired at Newhart at that time.

Newhart fled the scene and a high-speed chase ensued, lasting about nine miles until he crashed his truck.

He then fled on foot into a wooded area and was located hiding in a cabin. Newhart was taken into custody without further incident, according to police.

Neither law enforcement personnel, nor Newhart, sustained any injuries during the incident.

He has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault; simple assault; and recklessly endangering another person, as well a count of fleeing or attempting to elude police.

Newhart was arraigned Tuesday, May 1 by District Judge Suzanne Brainard and is being held on $100,000 bail on the charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled to be held Monday, May 21, in Montrose District Court.

Newhart was scheduled for trial in January on drug charges stemming back to September 2016. Leading up to the first trial date, the court had revoked his bail on multiple occasions and several bench warrants had been issued. Newhart failed to show in court for the January jury selection.

On March 5, Newhart’s bail was again revoked for a violation of bail supervision and another bench warrant was issued. The trial date, which had been moved to March, was then scheduled to begin jury selection on May 14. In addition to bail set in the April 30 case, Newhart is also being held on $50,000 bail in the 2016 case.