PHILIPSBURG – A Philipsburg man accused of stealing a truck and leading police on a chase waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
According to the state police in Philipsburg, Richard K. Bloom, 29, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of DUI, receiving stolen property and other traffic violations.
On June 15, state police were alerted that a stolen Chevy truck was spotted on Second Street in Philipsburg Borough at 3:40 p.m. The truck was reported stolen from the parking lot of Country Convenience in Osceola Mills 1 p.m. The state police said that the Decatur Township Police Department initially took the report.
At 3:55 p.m., Tpr. Michael Wasilko reported seeing the stolen vehicle on East Pine Street at Ninth Street. Wasilko took pursuit and reported that the driver of the truck increased his speed. The driver turned onto Thirteenth Street and traveled past the Slabtown Playground and onto East Spruce Street. The vehicle then turned onto North Eleventh Street, traveling the wrong way at a high-rate-of-speed. When the vehicle entered the intersection of North Eleventh Street and Alder, the driver attemped to turn left onto Alder and struck a utility pole.
With the vehicle disabled Bloom reportedly left the vehicle and fled on foot. Several witnesses told police that he had entered a house a block away. Law enforcement converged on the house and took him into custody without incident.
He is presently incarcerated in Blair County Jail on probation violations.
