DUBOIS – A DuBois man is in Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail while he awaits his chance for a preliminary hearing Friday before Magisterial District Judge Patrick N. Ford.
Derek M. Sowa, 27, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing last Friday, but the hearing was continued. Sowa is accused of driving under the influence of alcohol as well as charges that he struggled with a police officer and tried to take his gun.
Court documents show that Sandy Township Police officers received a call that a red Jeep Cherokee was passing other vehicles on the Bee Line Highway in DuBois June 1 just before midnight.
The driver of the Cherokee reportedly went to Treasure Lake, arguing with another driver at the intersection of Bay Road and Adderly Road. The driver of the Cherokee reportedly threatened to shoot the other motorist.
Officers soon found the Cherokee in the middle of Woolendean Road at Treasure Lake, according to paperwork filed by the investigating officer. No one was inside the vehicle, and the officer heard a stick crack from somewhere over a nearby embankment.
The officer shone his light over the embankment and found a man on the ground.
The police officer said that because the driver of the Cherokee had threatened violence earlier, he drew his weapon and identified himself as a police officer.
The man began to stand up, yelling obscenities at the officer. Court documents show that the man allegedly said, “You better shoot me before I (explicative deleted) shoot you.” The court records show that the man allegedly began to reach for the waistband of his pants and moved toward the officer.
The officer reported that the two were about 3 or 4 yards apart with the officer on a higher piece of ground. The officer stepped forward and kicked the man in the chest, knocking him backward. Once the officer could see that the man did not have a gun, the officer holstered his own gun and pulled out his pepper mace.
The officer said the man began running at him, threatening the officer’s life and using still more obscenities.
The man was sprayed with mace, but he began to struggle with the officer, landing a few punches to the officer’s chest.
The officer’s report of the incident states that he remembers his “belt being pulled in the area of my duty weapon, and as I reached down I did feel the subject’s hand on my weapon.”
The man, identified as Sowa, was taken to DuBois Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries he suffered in the struggle. His blood was also drawn, which was sent for testing.
Sowa is due to appear before Judge Ford Friday to decide whether to have a preliminary hearing or to waive the charges on to court.