Former State High football star charged with prowling, breaking into vehicles

A College Township man faces theft charges after an early morning foot chase Tuesday, State College police said.

Noah R. Woods, 18, of Lemont, a former State College High football player, was taken into custody early Tuesday after police received a call about suspicious activity along the 100 block of Oakwood Drive, the affidavit said. A caller reported seeing a man in the passenger side of his vehicle, who left the area on a pink bicycle when confronted.

Officers responded at about 6:30 a.m., police said, and discovered a pink bicycle lying on the side of the road along Norle Street. They reportedly observed a man matching a description given by the caller standing at the driver’s side door of a nearby vehicle.

He appeared to be attempting to open the vehicle door, police said. When he saw officers exit the cruiser, he reportedly fled into a nearby backyard.

The man was observed running through numerous backyards, jumping fences between Norle and Oakwood, police said. He was finally stopped by an officer on foot and was identified as Woods.

Officers searched a backpack he was reportedly carrying, police said, and found a plastic water bottle that had been turned into a smoking device, which smelled strongly of marijuana. A pill bottle was also found containing marijuana residue, along with a plastic tube containing a white powder residue, according to police.

Woods was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Thomas Jordan, according to court documents, and faces misdemeanor charges of loitering and prowling, theft from a motor vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia. Straight monetary bail was set at $10,000.

Woods faces prior felony counts of retaliation against a witness and possession with intent to deliver, and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft by unlawful taking from May. Charges are still active in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, court documents said.

Police said officers are still investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins around Lemont in June. The owner of the pink bicycle has not yet been identified.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Former State High football star charged with prowling, breaking into vehicles."