Just two days after he was released from jail, admitted heroin addict Michael Anthony Dredden Jr. allegedly robbed a Billtown Cab driver at gunpoint, city police said.
"Hold still and give me everything you have," Dredden, 19, demanded as he held a gun to the cab driver's head in the 1700 block of Memorial Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Patrolman Jonathan Deprenda alleged in an affidavit.
The robbery occurred after the cab picked up Dredden and his alleged co-conspirator, Eugene Marquash Brown, in the 800 block of High Street, Deprenda said.
When the two men arrived at their destination on Memorial Avenue, Brown, 22, of 932 High St., jumped out of the cab without paying, prompting the driver to lock Dredden inside the cab until the fare was paid, Deprenda said.
That is when Dredden, 19, of 621 Lloyd St., allegedly pulled out a gun and held it to the driver's head. The driver tossed two $20 bills at the gunman and bolted from the cab, Deprenda said.
Brown then got back in the vehicle and he and Dredden tried to flee with the cab, but both men got out and ran after the vehicle hit a curb after going backwards about 75 feet, Deprenda said.
Officers swarmed into the neighborhood and began looking for the suspects. Within 20 minutes, two men who matched the description of the bandits were spotted and held at Cemetery and Scott streets, police said.
When the cab driver was brought to the scene, he identified the two as the ones who allegedly robbed him, Deprenda said.
Dredden was charged with robbery, recklessly endangering, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property, attempted theft and conspiracy. He was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Brown was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and attempted theft of a vehicle. He was jailed in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Dredden just got out of the county prison on Tuesday on $7,500 bail after waiving his preliminary hearing on city police charges of possessing three bags of heroin and drug paraphernalia in the 300 block of Elmira Street about 1:40 a.m. on April 8.
