South Strabane police nab Pittsburgh men after chase
From left, Joseph Louis Llop II and Ron Matthew Sharp
Joseph Louis Llop III
Ron Matthew Sharp
Two Pittsburgh men were arrested Tuesday afternoon by South Strabane Township police after one of them reportedly tried to steal items from a store at Strabane Square and the other then sped through the parking lot trying to get away from police.
Arrested were 40-year-old Ron Matthew Sharp, 40, and 35-year-old Joseph Louis Llop III.
Police were called just before 3 p.m. to Kohl’s for a report of a retail theft in progress. Police were told the two men reportedly were in previous thefts at the store. Officers received descriptions of both, one of whom was inside the store and the other who was waiting in a car.
Officer Andrea Steiner spotted the car in the middle of the parking lot with a man, later identified as Sharp, in the driver’s seat. When she told him to turn off the engine, he fled. Police pursued the car through the lot where there were pedestrians and bystanders.
Sharp tried to drive behind Lowe’s but his vehicle ended up over a hillside. He fled from the vehicle. Several area police departments assisted in searching the area and he was taken into custody about 20 minutes later.
Llop, who police learned was inside the store, abandoned the items he apparently planned to steal and left the store. He also was taken into custody.
Police learned the car Sharp was driving was reported stolen in Pittsburgh. It was impounded.
Sharp is charged with two counts each of reckless endangerment and resisting arrest and one count each of receiving stolen property, fleeing or attempting to elude police and reckless driving. Llop is charged with receiving stolen property. Both were arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller and each placed in Washington County jail on $10,000 bond. They are scheduled for an Oct. 18 preliminary hearing before Weller.