State police, SERT team respond to man barricaded in Mill Run home
A man with a history of violence toward law enforcement and EMS barricaded himself in his home in Mill Run after an incident involving a plumber, according to state police.
A Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) was called to the home of Frank 鈥淔rankie鈥� Hunter Bowers, 56, on Mill Run Road (Route 381), Stewart Township at about 2 p.m. after a plumber called 911, saying he was scared off and chased down by Bowers. The plumber蘑菇视频 truck got stuck in the mud when he tried to leave. When police arrived, Bowers barricaded himself in his house. Troopers discovered Bowers allegedly stole the man蘑菇视频 tools and tried to light his truck on fire.
Mill Run Road was closed in the area for several hours. The standoff ended at about 8:30 p.m. when Bowers was taken into custody. He was denied bail in the case. Bowers was charged with theft, reckless burning, simple assault and terroristic threats.
Bowers faced charges in 2017 for abusing the 911 system by calling multiple times on a monthly basis to report medical emergencies that were deemed nonexistent, and acting abusive and combative when EMS arrived. Fayette EMS has had a policy for years to contact state police to assist them when Bowers calls. At least two troopers are sent to each call. Most of his 911 calls are made while intoxicated, according to court documents.
In 2013, he was convicted of attempting to disarm a state trooper. He called police to report an assault, and then said he wanted to show him a beehive in his backyard. There, he made an unsuccessful attempt to remove the officer蘑菇视频 gun from his holster.
The 911 call that led to the 2017 charges involved Bowers saying he was going to hang someone. When state police responded, he refused to go outside, according to court documents. Later that day, he called 911 to report hip pain and trouble breathing. EMS determined he was breathing normally, but took him to the hospital for the reported hip pain. In the back of the ambulance, he allegedly pretended to hold a long gun and pretended to shoot the troopers while mimicking the sound of an automatic weapon. He was quickly released from the hospital. The next day, he called to report shortness of breath again. He was taken to the hospital and released shortly thereafter.
He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and communications with 911, and was sentenced to nine to 24 months in jail.
鈥淭he defendant, despite warning, has continued to abuse emergency services with drunken, frivolous calls. The necessary response has placed a tremendous amount of strain on the resources of Fayette EMS and Pennsylvania State Police,鈥� Cpl. Patrick Bouch wrote in the affidavit of probable cause filed in the 2017 case. 鈥淭hese resources have been tied up with the defendant when legitimate emergencies have occurred causing first responders in Fayette County an extended response time and short handedness to attend the citizens who desperately need these services. The defendant also poses a significant risk to the safety to responding officers and EMS personnel based on his violent and unpredictable behavior.鈥�
His criminal history stretches back decades.
Bowers was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino Jr. just before midnight. He denied bail citing Bowers is a threat to himself and others, he refused to obey a court summons and has a history of similar incidents.