A man is in jail after police say he was stealing gas, which led to a bigger investigation. Travis Repinski, of Blairsville, was arrested Monday and is facing more than 20 charges stemming from an incident with Ligonier Valley Police. According to police Chief Michael Matrunsics, he got a call around 9 a.m. Monday from a resident who said a man in a white truck was stealing gas out of an excavator being used by PennDOT. PennDOT said the equipment was a rental piece on a pipe job.Matrunsics saw the white truck and tried to pull it over, but the driver did not stop, and so a chase, lasting roughly a mile, ensued. It stopped when the driver of the white truck hit a police cruiser. "He just just refused to stop. Ultimately, at one point, he changed directions and actually got a little action with our police car. Saw some damage there, but the officers were OK," he said.The suspect, now known as Repinski, ran away and resisted officers' attempts to arrest him. Officers used a taser to stop him, and he was taken to the hospital.Officers said Repinski originally gave them a different name, but he was identified at the hospital. Once at the hospital, police said Repinski tried to escape again. Court documents say Repinski headbutted an officer in the sternum, and a nurse suffered from some cuts on his hand. "While at the hospital after being treated he did run out of the emergency room. Obviously, he got taken in custody," he said. Through the course of the investigation, police realized this case was bigger than Repinski allegedly stealing gas. Officers obtained a warrant for the truck and found five guns in it. Police also found out Repinski may have been involved in stealing a trailer. "Possibly a burglary occurred to get these guns. And that's been investigated by the state police. We understand that he might be a suspect in a theft of a trailer, also Indiana County, that's being worked on by the state police as well," he said. Matrunsics said Repinski had recently been released from jail. He is now facing charges of attempting to escape, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried without a license, and aggravated assault. Repinski's preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28.
LIGONIER TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
A man is in jail after police say he was stealing gas, which led to a bigger investigation.
Travis Repinski, of Blairsville, was arrested Monday and is facing more than 20 charges stemming from an incident with Ligonier Valley Police.
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According to police Chief Michael Matrunsics, he got a call around 9 a.m. Monday from a resident who said a man in a white truck was stealing gas out of an excavator being used by PennDOT. PennDOT said the equipment was a rental piece on a pipe job.
Matrunsics saw the white truck and tried to pull it over, but the driver did not stop, and so a chase, lasting roughly a mile, ensued. It stopped when the driver of the white truck hit a police cruiser.
"He just just refused to stop. Ultimately, at one point, he changed directions and actually got a little action with our police car. Saw some damage there, but the officers were OK," he said.
The suspect, now known as Repinski, ran away and resisted officers' attempts to arrest him. Officers used a taser to stop him, and he was taken to the hospital.
Officers said Repinski originally gave them a different name, but he was identified at the hospital.
Once at the hospital, police said Repinski tried to escape again. Court documents say Repinski headbutted an officer in the sternum, and a nurse suffered from some cuts on his hand.
"While at the hospital after being treated he did run out of the emergency room. Obviously, he got taken in custody," he said.
Through the course of the investigation, police realized this case was bigger than Repinski allegedly stealing gas.
Officers obtained a warrant for the truck and found five guns in it. Police also found out Repinski may have been involved in stealing a trailer.
"Possibly a burglary occurred to get these guns. And that's been investigated by the state police. We understand that he might be a suspect in a theft of a trailer, also Indiana County, that's being worked on by the state police as well," he said.
Matrunsics said Repinski had recently been released from jail. He is now facing charges of attempting to escape, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried without a license, and aggravated assault.
Repinski's preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28.
