WEST ROCKHILL, P.A. (KYW Newsradio) — A Pennsburg man is charged with stealing a bike at gunpoint Wednesday in rural Montgomery County before shooting at police and leading them on an eight-mile chase into Bucks County.
It ended in West Rockhill, Bucks County, where police took 35-year-old Charles Bowne into custody after a two-and-a-half hour standoff.
Investigators said it started in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, when a cyclist passed a man in a Ford Mustang on Swamp Creek Road near Camp Road. The cyclist said Bowne then yelled “Go home to your family” at him.
Police said it escalated when the cyclist took a photo of Bowne’s license plate, and he responded by pulling a gun on the man, demanding he leave his bike and drop his cell phone. The cyclist obeyed Bowne’s orders, but then fled and was fired at. He eventually flagged down another car to call police.
When officers initially arrived, Bowne also fired at them and then led them on an eight-mile chase into Bucks County, where he eventually pulled over on Ridge Road in West Rockhill a little before 12:15 Wednesday.
A standoff then ensued, and authorities said Bowne fired more shots at responding officers as units from more than 10 other police departments in addition to SWAT and State Police descended on the scene.
A crisis negotiator was eventually brought in to help, and was eventually able to talk Bowne into surrendering.
He is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and several other felonies.