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Police: LH man allegedly wrecks truck, sets it on fire

Ronald R. Shoop Jr. jailed at Rockview

LOCK HAVEN — A Lock Haven man is charged with arson and other crimes after he allegedly broke into Hillside Collision impound lot on Dec. 28, and torched his own disabled vehicle, according to Lock Haven city police.

Ronald Ray Shoop Jr., 28, of 355 E. Church St. is believed to have fled from a vehicle crash in the city on Christmas Eve and returned to the vehicle, which was impounded at Hillside, three days later to destroy it, police said.

An arrest warrant was issued for Shoop by city police on Dec. 29.

Shoop was picked up on Jan. 3. He was given unsecured bail on his charges here and had a state detainer, so was released to State Parole Agents who transported him to SCI Rockview.

He is charged with three felonies — arson, risking a catastrophe, reckless burning or exploding — and defiant trespass, a misdemeanor. Shoop is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, in Clinton County Central Court.

Edward Liedtka III, who works at Hillside Collision on 15 S. Hanna St., called the Lock Haven fire department at about 7 a.m. on Dec. 28 to report a vehicle fire in a lifted 2001 Chevrolet pick-up truck in the fenced-in impound lot, police wrote in the criminal complaint.

Lock Haven Police Officer Stephen Nero responded, and Liedtka told him the vehicle was impounded on Dec. 24 as a result of a motor vehicle accident in which the suspect fled the scene, police said.

Police further reported that the Chevrolet pick-up truck was believed to have been operated by Shoop at the time of that accident due to evidence that included Shoop’s photo identification found in the vehicle, blood in the truck and the vehicle’s title being in Shoop’s name.

Nero investigated the impound where he found clear and distinct footprints coming from the north of the lot’s fence. Those same footprints were found on top of a Ford Bronco which was used to gain entry over the fence and a piece of a coat or jacket was found on the fence in the place where the footprints appeared to leave the lot, according to the report.

Nero followed the footprints west from the scene and down to the railroad tracks to the area of North Washington Street where no further tracks were observed, he said.

Liedtka and Nero reviewed security footage of the impound lot, which depicted the suspect as a 5-foot, 10-inches to 6-foot tall man of medium build, and matching Shoop, who is known to be 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, police said.

The footage showed the man climbing over the 8-foot high fence surrounding the impound lot by stepping on a Ford Bronco that was parked next to the fence, police said. The individual then walked to, what police said they believe to be his own vehicle, and using a key fob to open the door, according to the complaint.

Liedtka told police that Hillside Collision never received a set of keys for this vehicle as it had been abandoned at the time of the accident.

“In further review of the video, it shows the suspect entering the driver’s side of the pick-up truck, and a short time later, a ball of fire was observed coming from the driver’s side of the vehicle indicating an accelerant was used,” said police.

The fire was later extinguished by the fire department, police said.

Shoop has a history, since July 2009, of DUIs, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, receiving stolen property and possessing both real and fake drugs with the intent to distribute.

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