Court beat

Shawn P. Prentiss Jr., 24, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of children, second-degree felonies; four counts of simple assault, first-degree misdemeanors; and summary charges of careless driving, reckless driving and harassment.

The criminal complaint states that about 2:30 p.m. April 27, Bradford Township police received a report from the McKean County 911 Center of a threatening roadway incident.

Prentiss’s ex-girlfriend called the 911 Center to report that Prentiss, who was operating a blue Dodge Ram pick-up truck, was trying to run her vehicle off the road and was waving a baseball bat at them, according to the complaint.

Responding officers determined that Prentiss was following a vehicle with four people — including the woman and two children — traveling west on Minard Run Road.

Prentiss started to tailgate the other vehicle and tried to force it off the road several times, court records stated. At one point, he allegedly passed the vehicle, then slammed on his brakes directly in front of the other vehicle.

The vehicle with the alleged victims turned around to return home, and Prentiss allegedly turned around, too, and continued to tailgate them and try to force them off the road. He was yelling and pointing for them to turn around, at one point showing a baseball bat out the window in a threatening way, the complaint stated.

Prentiss is free on $30,000 unsecured bail.

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Charges against man accused in police chase bound to court

A Bradford man accused of driving a stolen vehicle during a high-speed chase with police had charges against him bound to McKean County Court at a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Dominic Cercone.

Timothy M. Schuster II, 21, of 906 High St., is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude an officer and receiving stolen property, third-degree felonies; and summary charges of driving at a safe speed, careless driving and driving while operating privileges suspended or revoked.

According to the criminal complaint, on June 19, a Bradford City police officer was driving with the patrol vehicle lights and siren on because he was responding to a call. A motorcycle driven by Schuster failed to yield to the emergency lights and siren; Instead, the motorcycle allegedly did a wheelie in front of the officer and took off at a high rate of speed.

As the officer followed Schuster, Schuster continued driving at a high speed, unsafely passing other vehicles and driving through several stop signs without stopping, the complaint stated. He allegedly drove in the wrong lane several times, too.

Someone contacted the owner of the motorcycle, who had reported to Bradford Township Police that the motorcycle was stolen while he was out of town, according to court records.

Schuster is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

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Trespassing charges against woman bound to court

A Bradford man had trespassing charges against her bound to McKean County Court Wednesday at a preliminary hearing before District Judge Dominic Cercone.

Erica Herbstritt, 19, of 33 ½ Leland Ave., Upper Apt., is charged with criminal trespassing, a second-degree felony, and criminal mischief, a third-degree misdemeanor.

According to the criminal complaints, at 10:32 p.m. June 29, Herbstritt and Bailey Duell were seen by neighbors kicking in the back door of a residence on Pleasant Street in Bradford. When confronted, they claimed they had permission to be there; they did not.

Herbstritt is free on unsecured bail.

Duell has a preliminary hearing set for July 29.