Scott Keith Perschbacher
An apparent shoplifting incident turned into quite an ordeal for a Chillicothe man, who may be feeling the discomfort of poison oak and poison ivy, as well as the bites and stings of a colony of red ants.
Charges of stealing a package of underwear from WalMart may be the least of his worries.
Sheriff Cox says he pulled into the store’s parking lot shortly after noon on Wednesday, where he spotted a man running away from the business with employees in hot pursuit.
The sheriff called dispatchers, and soon a deputy and a Chillicothe police officer arrived to track the suspect, who had taken cover northwest of the store in a wooded area south of Green Street on private property.
Cox says the 50-yard long area was full of obstacles that made the man’s flight, and the search, more challenging. The area was full of trees, thick vegetation, poison ivy, poison oak, brush piles and several logs and rocks. Chief Deputy Michael Claypole spotted the man’s belt, well hidden in the brush.
At first, Cox says the man refused to come out. That changed when they told him they were about to deploy a Taser. The officers arrested Scott Keith Pershbacher, 48, of Chillicothe. A search of the area where Pershbacher had been hiding revealed a new package of underwear and what appeared to be a new ball cap. Cox says the suspect also dropped a new pair of fingernail clippers when he was arrested.
Perschbacher was arrested for alleged Stealing and Resisting Arrest by Flight. Cox tells us Mr. Perschbacher is also currently on parole. He has since had his bond revoked on a previous local charge. The suspect is now in the Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail.
Cox points out that Mr Pershbacher “must have been highly motivated” to hide as well and for as long as he did. As it turns out he was situated on top of a colony of hundreds of red ants. He says the insects were less than happy that Mr. Perschbacher had crushed their home.