Washington man to stand trial in home invasion

A Washington man was ordered Wednesday to stand trial for allegedly beating and robbing a 69-year-old Canton Township man during a home invasion last month.
Brad P. Herchenroder, 28, of 187 Maple Ave., was ordered held for court by District Judge Ethan Ward on charges of aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, theft, simple assault, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment and harassment for the March 23 incident.
Harold Sibert testified he was watching television inside his Brook Avenue home in the Town and Country Mobile Home Park about 2:30 a.m. when he heard a knock on the door.
“I opened the door. He said ‘How are you doing?’ before he sprayed me in the face with Mace,” Sibert said. “Then he started beating on me. He hit me in the eyes. I couldn’t see anything.”
“He kept saying ‘I want your wallet, I want your wallet,'” Sibert testified. “He knocked me to the floor but he was still beating on me. I don’t know how many times I got hit.”
Sibert said his attacker wore a mask. After knocking him to the floor, the suspect removed Sibert’s wallet from his pants pocket. Herchenroder also reportedly stole Sibert’s pickup truck and cellphone.
A neighbor helped Sibert call for help. Sibert was taken to Washington Hospital and then flown to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh. He underwent surgery to repair broken bones in his cheek.
The following day, Herchenroder called the state police barracks and told them he wanted to turn himself in for the home invasion in Canton. He met troopers at a park off Cleveland Road in North Franklin Township near where he abandoned Sibert’s truck.
Trooper Douglas Rush said Herchenroder told him he was friends with Sibert’s grandson.
“And he knew the grandson had gotten money off him before, so he decided to rob him,” Rush said.
Herchenroder walked from a friend’s home on Cleveland Road to Sibert’s home after the friend fell asleep. He told Rush the journey took him about an hour and a half.
“He thought the victim would be asleep but he saw he was still up,” Rush said. “When the victim opened the door, he tried to push Herchenroder out.”
When Herchenroder left Sibert’s home, he drove back to his friend’s house. He wiped everything down in the truck and left the cellphone inside.
“He said he never intended to hurt him (Sibert),” Rush said. “He was visibly upset and tearful but was able to talk with me in a calm manner.” Herchenroder also told Rush he used heroin.
Ward denied a request from Public Defender Glenn Alterio, who represented Herchenroder, to reduce bond from $20,000 to a percentage bond. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Carroll told Ward he thought the bond was appropriate given the charges. Herchenroder was free on unsecured bond awaiting trial on charges filed by South Strabane Township police stemming from a theft at Walmart, Trinity Point, when the alleged robbery occurred.
Herchenroder was returned to Washington County jail, where he has been housed since his March 24 arrest.