A pursuit by Erie police of an erratic scooter driver led to his arrest in the Sunday night robbery of a downtown convenience store, police said. Police said officers found cash stuffed in the scooter driver’s pockets.
The 49-year-old man was in police custody Monday morning awaiting arraignment on robbery and related charges in the theft of thousands of dollars from Lucky’s Food Mart, 707 State St., according to Erie police.
He is accused of entering the store, threatening to use the gun and taking cash from the business before fleeing on a motorized scooter, Erie police Lt. Mike Brady said Monday.
Erie police learned of the robbery after an officer on patrol detained a man spotted operating a scooter erratically on the city’s east side.
According to Brady, the officer witnessed the scooter driver run through a red light at East Eighth and Parade streets shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The officer began following the scooter and witnessed the driver continue to operate the scooter erratically and commit traffic violations.
When the officer activated the patrol car’s overhead emergency lights, the scooter driver crashed into a parked vehicle and ran off, Brady said. The officer ran after the man, who tried to climb over a fence, and a Taser was deployed to stop the man, he said.
The man was able to break off the dart-like leads of the Taser, and he climbed over the fence and got away, Brady said.
Officers later apprehended the suspect in the pursuit shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday in the 900 block of East 11th Street. He was brought to the Erie police station, where officers found thousands of dollars in cash crumpled up in his pants and pockets, Brady said.
The robbery at Lucky’s Food Mart was reported after the man was in custody. He matched the description of the robbery suspect, Brady said.
