Area man accused of stealing 3 vehicles from Erie to Clarion Co.

By JIM MEYER
Staff writer

A road trip this week from Erie to Clarion County has landed a Shippenville man in jail in connection with an incident that police say involved at least three stolen vehicles, one of which was crashed in Tionesta Township.

The man, identified as Bruce E. Smith, 55, is facing multiple charges in Forest and Clarion counties.

Marienville state police said they responded to a crash at about 10 a.m. Monday on Dawson Run Road in Tionesta Township. Police said a vehicle, driven by Smith, had been traveling north when it veered off the west side of the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned.

“The vehicle had a plate that did not belong to it,” trooper Michael Salusky said. “This gentleman had stolen a vehicle from Erie, drove down to the Shippenville Knox area and stole another vehicle. That vehicle didn’t have a license plate on it, so he stole a license plate from Cook Forest Canoe Rental,” Salusky said.

During the course of the investigation, the crashed vehicle was discovered to have been stolen from the Cooksburg residence of Robert Edwin Gunya, police said.

Smith fled the scene on foot and stole a vehicle from the West Hickory residence of Daniel Joseph Sis, police said.

Smith was apprehended later that day by Clarion state police.

He was arraigned in Clarion County on three felony counts of receiving stolen property, one felony count of theft by unlawful taking, misdemeanor charges of DUI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and a summary charge of driving on a suspended license.

He is being held in the Clarion County jail on $50,000 monetary bail.

Salusky said Smith will face additional charges in Forest County.

“I haven’t filed charges yet,” Salusky said. “He will have his day with us.”