HARMONY — A borough man faces a dozen felonies stemming from a bizarre set of events Monday that started with gunshots at his mother’s house and ended after a melee with police at a store.
The suspect, 45-year-old Douglas B. Spink, suffered apparent minor injuries but none of the officers from two departments was hurt, authorities said.
The fracas left the Buy ‘n Fly on Route 68 in Jackson Township with a hefty bill — about $5,000 — for damages.
District Judge Sue Haggerty on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Spink, who was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for psychiatric evaluation following the incident.
He is charged with five counts of aggravated assault, three counts each of discharging a gun into an occupied structure and criminal mischief, and one count of illegally possessing a firearm, all felonies.
He also is charged with four misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and an additional summary count of criminal mischief.
Zelienople police say Spink, who has a history of mental problems, got into an altercation around 2 a.m. with his mother at her Old Little Creek Road home in Harmony, where he, too, has been recently living.
He allegedly forced his way into her bedroom and stole a .38-caliber revolver. The two struggled over the gun during which it went off twice in the kitchen.
Police later discovered a bullet hole in the basement window, indicating Spink fired it a third time, according to court documents.
At some point after firing the shots, investigators said, the suspect left the home. Authorities were notified about 5:40 a.m., and began looking for the suspect who was seen walking toward Mercer Road.
It was initially believed that Spink was still armed. The gun, however, was eventually recovered near the defendant’s home, where police suspect he hid it before leaving.
After walking away from his house, Spink confronted at least two motorists on Mercer Road. One of those drivers told investigators that the suspect was yelling to call police “because someone was robbing his house,” documents said.
While the motorist called 911 on his cell phone, the suspect, who was bleeding from the hand, got into the vehicle. The motorist drove Spink a short distance before telling him to get out of the vehicle.
Moments later, the defendant started pounding on the door of a home in the 500 block of Main Street. But by the time the homeowner opened the door, Spink was gone.
“After looking at the door,” documents said, “(the homeowner) noticed that there was blood on it near the handle and it was broken due to someone pulling on it.”
Spink ultimately made his way to the Buy ‘n Fly, less than a mile from his house. Police from Zelienople and Jackson Township were not far behind.
Officers first spotted him crouched down on the floor behind the front counter. He refused to give himself up, prompting a struggle with two officers, documents said.
He allegedly kicked at and tried to bite and scratch the officers.
Police said Spink also kicked over a cigarette rack, damaging all the contents and other nearby merchandise.
More officers arrived to assist and in time the defendant was placed in three sets of handcuffs. He was strapped to a gurney and taken by ambulance to Butler hospital.
