The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

March 2, 2013

Braden faces more charges

By Joe Pinchot Herald Staff Writer

NORTHERN MERCER COUNTY — State police filed new charges Friday against an Edinboro man who led police from several departments on a manhunt this week in Sugar Grove and Salem townships.

Aaron M. Braden, also known as Aaron Branden, was charged Friday with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle for driving off in a Salem Township man’s pickup Tuesday.

Hempfield Township police, who earlier this week charged the 19-year-old Braden with theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit theft, said they found a sport-utility vehicle Wednesday that had been reported stolen from South Pymatuning Township on Methodist Road in Sugar Grove Township. Two men who were in the SUV drove away.

Several hours later, a pickup was stolen from a home on Kennard Road, Sugar Grove, and it was found with personal property belonging to Branden in it, police said.

About 30 policemen searched the wooded area bounded by Methodist, Ball Hill, Kennard and Cherry Hill roads without finding the men.

According to state police, Braden admitted committing “multiple” crimes Wednesday in Mercer County. Among them was entering an open garage in the 1000 block of Beatty School Road, Salem Township, and stealing a pickup, which had its keys inside, police said.

Braden drove the Toyota pickup to Pierpont, Ashtabula County, Ohio, and met up with someone else, also driving a stolen truck, police said.

“He stated they traded trucks and he drove back to Pennsylvania in the stolen GMC, where he was eventually apprehended,” state police said.

Braden did not know where the Toyota ended up, police said.

Braden was arraigned on the new charges Friday by District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer, and returned to Mercer County Jail. He faces preliminary hearings at 10 a.m. March 14 before Hinch, and 1 p.m. March 11 before District Judge Brian Arthur, Greenville.

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