9/25/18 South Franklin Township, PA Man Arrested – Tried To Disarm Trooper And Steal Pennsylvania State Police Cruiser – Tased And Taken Out Of Driver’s Seat

September 26, 2018

www.observer-reporter.com

A South Strabane Township man was arrested Sunday by state police after he allegedly tried to disarm a trooper and steal his cruiser during an incident on Airport Road in South Franklin Township.

Aaron Isaac Yoder, 38, of 117 Statement Ave., is charged with disarming a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and two counts of theft.

Police were called to the 200 block of Airport Road about 11:45 a.m. for a report of a suspicious vehicle. When police arrived, they spotted Yoder standing near a man’s vehicle. The owner of the vehicle said he saw Yoder going through the vehicle. Yoder was holding a wireless speaker when he was confronted by the man.

While Trooper Matthew Moss spoke with the man, Trooper Michael Piscitelli placed Yoder in the front passenger seat of his vehicle as he called for assistance.

Yoder then allegedly got into an altercation with Piscitelli inside the cruiser. Moss tried to gain control of Yoder, who continued to struggle with the troopers until Piscitelli used his Taser.

Yoder was pulled from the cruiser and placed in handcuffs. Piscitelli reportedly asked him why to was trying to steal a police car. Yoder reportedly responded he did not have anywhere else to go and did not want to get arrested.

Piscitelli told Moss Yoder tried to jump into the driver’s seat of the cruiser and attempted to grab the trooper’s gun from his belt during the altercation inside the vehicle.

Yoder was arraigned before District Judge Jesse Pettit and placed in Washington County jail on a $20,000 percentage bond. He is scheduled for an Oct. 1 preliminary hearing before District Judge Ethan Ward.