DuBOIS — A man is in custody and police are searching for a second suspect after an employee of Burger King in DuBois was reportedly assaulted in the parking lot of the East DuBois Avenue business around 1 a.m. Tuesday, June 11.
A felony arrest warrant has been issued for Richard William Smeal, 59, of DuBois for his alleged involvement in the incident, according to a news release from the Sandy Township Police Department Wednesday. Smeal is described as a white man, 5-foot 5-inches tall, weighing approximately 145 pounds, with blue eyes, a red/gray beard and thinning red/brown hair.
Smeal is believed to be dangerous, and police advise people not to approach him.
Anyone who has information regarding Smeal is asked to contact the Sandy Township Police Department through Clearfield County Dispatch at 814-765-1533 or 911.
Smeal is charged with three counts of robbery, one a felony of the first degree, one a felony of the second degree and one a felony of the third degree; two misdemeanor counts of simple assault; and misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking, terroristic threats and receiving stolen property, according to court documents filed at Magisterial District Judge David Meholick’s office.
John Ronald Lentz Jr., 53, of Penfield is charged with three counts of robbery, one a felony of the first degree, one a felony of the second degree and one a felony of the third degree; and misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking and fleeing or attempting to elude police, according to court documents filed at Meholick’s office.
Lentz was arrested Tuesday and placed in Clearfield County Jail with bail set at $150,000.
According to the affidavits of probable cause, Sandy Township Police were dispatched to Burger King on East DuBois Avenue around 1 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a female victim in the parking lot screaming and crying. The caller said the victim told him that a man pulled her out of her car, beat her up and robbed her of her money and then took off running.
Police then arrived and spoke to the victim, who said she was an employee at Burger King and was just getting in her vehicle after closing the restaurant. The victim said she put her purse on the passenger seat and when she went to close the door, she saw a man — suspected by police to be Smeal — in his late 50s standing there with a mask on and pointing a gun at her demanding her purse, according to the affidavit.
The victim described the gun as a possible airsoft rifle.
The victim told police she refused to give the man her purse. The man then allegedly punched her in the head and grabbed the purse. The man reportedly tried to run away, but the victim tripped him and she grabbed the purse back.
The victim told police she was then struck again in the head, this time with the butt end of the rifle. She said they both fell to the ground and the man continued to hit her. The victim reported she started screaming for help and the man attempted to cover her mouth, so she bit him.
According to the affidavit, the victim said she was able to get the man off of her by offering him money from her wallet. She allegedly gave the man $20. The man then asked for all the money, and when the victim told him that was all the money, he reportedly struck her again with the rifle.
The victim told police she continued to scream and the man kept swinging at her with a closed fist and the butt end of the gun.
The victim said a vehicle then pulled into the parking lot and the man ran into the bushes between Burger King and the Verizon store.
According to the news release from Sandy Township, the victim’s purse reportedly contained the night deposit money from the restaurant. The man fled without getting the night deposit money, police said.
Moments later, another witness saw a vehicle leave the scene on Midway Drive, according to the affidavit. The witness followed the vehicle near the area of Harbor Freight, and saw two men inside the vehicle. The witness said she followed the vehicle, described as a gray Ford Fusion, to Homewood Suites on Industrial Drive.
Police then entered the parking lot and saw a Ford Fusion “coming directly towards a marked patrol car,” according to the affidavit. Officers activated the emergency lights, but the Fusion failed to stop, drove around the back side of Homewood Suites and up over a sidewalk into a field, where police lost sight of it.
Police were able to get the license plate number from the Fusion, which was later located on Haines Drive in DuBois around 9 a.m. Tuesday. Police spoke to a person at the residence who said Richard Smeal had possession of the car overnight. Smeal was not at the residence, but reportedly dropped the car off and left.
According to the affidavit, police received information around noon Tuesday that Smeal was seen leaving the Haines Drive residence in a blue van. Police were given the license plate number of the van, and went to the residence of the registered owner in Penfield.
Lentz was at the Penfield residence and he told police he was driving the blue van earlier that day, according to the affidavit. Lentz was then asked about driving the Ford Fusion. Lentz allegedly admitted to driving Richard Smeal to the area of Burger King and then dropping him off at a nearby stop sign.
Lentz also told police he dropped Smeal off at a residence on Bennetts Valley Highway. Police went to the residence where they were told Smeal had fled into the woods just prior to their arrival, according to the affidavit.
During an interview at the police station, Lentz reportedly said he recently quit working at Burger King. He told police he was driving Smeal’s car and he drove behind Burger King and Smeal got out at a stop sign. Lentz then parked at a nearby store and waited for Smeal to return. Lentz told police Smeal was out of breath when he returned to the car.
Lentz said Smeal, prior to getting out of the car, stated he “wanted to knock some place off to get money, and he wanted to rob Burger King for money,” according to the affidavit.
Lentz told police Smeal pulled the gun out from under the seat before getting out of the car. Lentz then described them fleeing from police in the car.
Lentz has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 21.
