Police: Retail theft suspect accelerated car toward officer
May 1—WILKES-BARRE TWP. — A township police officer was nearly struck by an alleged impaired driver who sped away after being confronted with stealing merchandise from a cosmetics store on Saturday.
Steven Douglas Sarbaugh, 43, of Main Street, Plains Township, accelerated his vehicle when he was approached by two township police officers investigating the theft of cosmetics from Ulta, Arena Hub Plaza, at about 5:30 p.m., according to court records.
One of the officers had to jump to avoid being struck by Sarbaugh's vehicle, court records say.
Sarbaugh was blocked from exiting the parking lot by another officer.
Police in court records say Sarbaugh displayed signs of being under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Sarbaugh admitted he took a prescription drug prior to driving to the store, court records say.
A woman with Sarbaugh was detained when she was found carrying $2,152 worth of unpaid merchandise from the cosmetics store. No charges have been filed against the woman as of Monday.
Police responded to the store when a woman was concealing items in a bag.
As police arrived, they noticed Sarbaugh seated in a vehicle.
Officers waited for the woman to exit the store and when she did, she opened the passenger side door of Sarbaugh's vehicle, court records say.
Two officers approached when Sarbaugh allegedly accelerated leaving the woman behind.
Sarbaugh was arraigned by District Judge James Haggerty in Kingston on charges of criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault with a vehicle while driving under the influence, retail theft and resisting arrest. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $20,000 bail.
