A Pennsylvania man who was scheduled to appear in Yates County Court March 16 died in a March 7 shoot-out with Pennsylvania State Police reports Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike.
The Associated Press and other news sources reported that Joshua Wheeler, 30, of Harrison Valley, Pa. was fatally shot in a standoff in which an unnamed trooper fatally shot the suspect.
State Police in Coudersport, Potter County, Pa., report they went to Wheeler's house at about 9:45 a.m. Sunday. Wheeler allegedly threatened the troopers and fired at least six shots at them from inside the house during a stand off that lasted nearly six hours. A trooper fatally shot Wheeler around 3:30 p.m.
Spike says Wheeler was scheduled to appear in Yates County Criminal Court March 16 for disposition on charges stemming from his July 11 arrest here.
In the early morning hours of July 11, 2009 Wheeler was driving on State Route 54A in the Town of Jerusalem when Yates County Deputy Chad Betts attempted to stop him for speeding. Wheeler refused to stop and led Betts, and Deputies Charles Emerson and Patrick Manahan on a chase over many back roads in Steuben County.
He was finally taken into custody on Stone Road in the Town of Pulteney after attempting to elude the officers in a wooded area. Wheeler was transported to the Yates County Public Safety Building for a chemical test, which he refused. He was charged with felony DWI, felony AUO, speed in zone, failure to keep right, failure to maintain lane, open container and refusal to submit to a BAC test.
He was arraigned in Jerusalem Town Court and remanded to the Yates County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bail. He was held for four days until bailed out, reports Spike.
