FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Bail has been denied for a Venango County man accused of intentionally striking a man with a car in Franklin early Sunday morning.
Court documents indicate the Franklin Police Department filed the following criminal charges against 33-year-old Kevin Scott VanWormer of Franklin:
- Aggravated Assault, Felony 1
- Person Not To Possess Use Etc Firearm, Felony 2
- Aggravated Assault by vehicle, Felony 3
- Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3
- Possess Instrument Of Crime With Intent, Misdemeanor 1
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2 (three counts)
- Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
- Disorderly Conduct Hazardous/Physical Offense, Misdemeanor 3 (three counts)
- Drive While Operator Privilege Suspended Or Revoked, Summary
- Drive Unregistered Vehicle, Summary
- Operate Vehicle Without Valid Inspection, Summary
- Public Drunkenness And Similar Misconduct, Summary
According to a criminal complaint, around 2:25 a.m. on Sunday, July 22, Venango County 9-1-1 dispatched officers to a report of shots fired in the 700 block of 15th Street in Franklin. Venango County 9-1-1 relayed that multiple calls had been received reporting hearing two gunshots.
As the officers were en route, Venango County 9-1-1 reported that the male shooting the firearm had entered a silver Pontiac sedan.
As the officers arrived at the scene, Officer McConnell, of the Franklin Police Department, observed Kevin VanWormer pulling into the driveway of a residence on 15th Street in a silver four-door Pontiac sedan.
According to the complaint, VanWormer exited the vehicle and ran around the residence, away from the officers. The officers then approached VanWormer while he was on the front porch of the residence. He was unable to gain entry through the front door, which had been locked by a known woman.
The complaint indicates that the woman locked the door because she feared VanWormer.
VanWormer failed to comply with the officers’ verbal orders and fled from the officers, behaving in a violent and aggressive manner, according to the complaint.
Officers believed he was armed due to the nature of the call, and they were forced to deploy a taser.
Victim Interviewed:
The victim told police he was at VanWormer’s house prior to the incident in an attempt to calm VanWormer down after arguing with a known woman. The victim said VanWormer was very aggressive and intentionally struck him with his vehicle as he was attempting to return to his own residence.
According to the complaint, the victim suffered a broken leg as a result of being struck by the vehicle. The victim reported that he then saw VanWormer behind his 15th Street residence and VanWormer fired two shots from a gun that “came from behind Vanwormer’s residence.”
Community Ambulance Service transported the victim to UPMC Northwest.
According to the complaint, as a result of a search warrant served on VanWormer’s residence, police located two empty .22 caliber shell casings behind the residence and a Smith and Wesson .22 caliber handgun in the neighboring lot approximately twenty feet from VanWormer’s property line.
The complaint indicates that an NCIC check on the handgun found it to be stolen and that VanWormer was also identified a felon not to possess a firearm.
VanWormer was arraigned at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 22, in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office.
He was lodged in the Venango County Jail.
Bail was denied because VanWormer was considered a “threat to society,” according to court documents.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, with Judge Fish presiding.
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