New York man arrested, jailed after reported armed robbery, police chase in Centre County
A western New York man was arrested Friday after what local police described as an armed robbery and police chase in Centre County.
Employees at the Dollar General near Pleasant Gap, 586 E. College Ave., reported the discount chain was robbed at knifepoint about 7:15 p.m. Friday, Spring Township police posted on Facebook.
State police at Rockview found the suspected robber’s vehicle about 15 minutes later in a church parking lot in Centre Hall. The driver, identified by police as Brian Baritot, led officers on a chase that ended in a crash in the 200 block of North Harrison Road in Spring Township, police wrote in the post.
The department’s post did not detail how the crash occurred or if anyone was injured. An affidavit of probable cause — a document that details police investigations and evidence prosecutors have gathered — was not immediately available.
Baritot “did not comply” after the crash and was shocked with a Taser, police wrote. He was then arrested. A photo shared by the department on Facebook showed Baritot with what appeared to be a small amount of dried blood on his forehead.
A knife was found in the center console of his vehicle, police wrote.
Baritot, according to police, was either a suspect or wanted in connection with multiple other reported robberies and burglaries at Dollar General locations in Pennsylvania and New York. He’s also suspected of a bank robbery in New York, police wrote.
Baritot, 40, was charged with felony counts of robbery, fleeing and terroristic threats. He was also charged with four misdemeanor and two summary traffic citations.
He was denied bail Saturday by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker and is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4.
This story was originally published November 23, 2024 at 12:00 AM.