Carjacking suspect surrenders

By Marcia Moore
The Daily Item

May 22, 2009 04:00 am

— SELINSGROVE -- Told by two women that they "needed their car," a carjacking suspect changed his mind about stealing the vehicle and instead ordered the driver to take him to Northumberland, where he jumped out of the vehicle and ran away.
Charles Gordner, 28, of Danville, stole another car the day after Monday's kidnapping, U.S. Marshal Michael Regan said.
Gordner, whose last known address is 204 Church St., Danville, surrendered to Williamsport-based U.S. marshals in Lewisburg at 9:45 a.m. Thursday after agency officials spent about five hours speaking with several of his acquaintances, Regan said.
The Marshal Service said Gordner was in a stolen vehicle when he surrendered, but the suspect's sister said Thursday evening that she drove him to Lewisburg. The stolen car was left at a fast-food restaurant in Danville, said Heather Gordner. She declined to discuss her brother's situation further.
Regan said Gordner was in a vehicle reported stolen Tuesday from Point Township.
He was turned over to state police at Selinsgrove, where an arrest warrant had been issued charging Gordner with kidnapping and stealing $65 from the two women, whom police have not identified. Police allege that between 4:50 p.m. and 5:38 p.m. Monday, Gordner followed the women, ages 53 and 18, as they left the Susquehanna Valley Mall in Hummels Wharf and walked to their car.
Wielding a 6-inch to 8-inch knife, Gordner got into the vehicle with the women and demanded their purses and money, police said.
He took $45 in cash from the older woman and told them he wanted more money.
They were forced to drive to a Swineford National Bank ATM, where $20 was withdrawn from the 53-year-old woman's account, the criminal complaint said.
Gordner then told them to drive north on the Old Trail to avoid the heavily traveled Routes 11-15.
When he informed the women he was going to take their vehicle, they objected, saying they "needed their car," the complaint said.
Gordner then asked them to drive to Northumberland, where he got out along Route 11 near Duke Street and ran off, police said.
Neither woman was injured, police said.
A tip from a witness helped identify Gordner as the suspect wanted in the carjacking.
The unidentified tipster told police that a person matching Gordner's description had indicated he needed a ride and borrowed her phone to make a call. The phone number he called belonged to Jillian Smith, Gordner's former girlfriend, and she confirmed receiving a call from him and seeing him that day at about 1:30 p.m., the complaint said.
Smith's description of Gordner's clothing matched the one the women gave police.
Armed with an identification, police put together a photo lineup for the women, and the 53-year-old identified Gordner, the complaint said.
On Wednesday, police asked the U.S. Marshal Service to help find the suspect.
Gordner was arraigned Thursday afternoon on felony kidnapping, robbery, robbery of a motor vehicle, theft by unlawful taking and misdemeanor simple assault and terroristic threats by District Judge Edward Mihalik Jr.
He's being held in Snyder County Prison in lieu of $50,000 cash bail pending a preliminary hearing Tuesday.
Motor-vehicle theft charges are also pending against him from Point Township police, the marshals said.

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