Published: April 02, 2007 11:31 pm         

Brothers charged in robbery

CARROLLTOWN — Three brothers now have been charged in Saturday’s armed robbery of a pharmacy for drugs, arrests due in part to the cooperation of their sister.

Charges were filed Monday against Dennis Dean Popish, 43, of the 800 block of Cameron Avenue, Beaverdale, and Shawn Popish, 34, of Miller Farm Road, Ebensburg, before Ebensburg District Judge Frederick Creany.

Charges were filed Sunday against David Allen Popish, 40, of the Cameron Avenue address.

“I hope they can all get help now,” their sister, Tracy Lynn Shankwieler, told The Tribune-Democrat on Monday.

Police say Dennis Popish entered Sharbaugh’s Drug Store along Route 219 at 12:50 p.m. Saturday. He displayed a device to store owner Neil Sharbaugh, telling Sharbaugh it was a bomb and that he would detonate it unless Sharbaugh turned over OxyContin.

Police said Dennis Popish left with an unknown amount of drugs, walked behind the store and got into a green Dodge Duster driven by Shawn Popish.

A witness provided the car’s license number.

Police say the two drove to the area of Link Road, where David Popish was waiting in a silver Isuzu Rodeo, and abandoned the Dodge.

All three are in the Cambria County Prison in lieu of bond. Preliminary hearings are set for April 10 in front of Creany.

Dennis Popish is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit theft, making a facsimile of a weapon of mass destruction, theft and receiving stolen property. Shawn and David Popish are charged with receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit theft. Shawn Popish also faces a charge of facsimile of a weapon of mass destruction.

Police said David Popish’s involvement was limited to planning and driving the Isuzu.

Shankwieler said Monday that her brothers – including her twin, Shawn, who was living with her – were at her house along Miller Farm Road on Saturday morning when an argument broke out between Dennis and her fiance.

“They left here and ended up there,” she said of the East Carroll Township pharmacy.

Using the license number, state police tracked the brothers to Shankwieler’s address.

Shawn Popish returned to Shankwieler’s home Sunday and was hiding in a stairway when state police arrived.

Shankwieler said she used a hand signal to let police know he was in the basement.

While police still were at the home, Dennis Popish phoned and Shankwieler told police he was at David Popish’s home.

Shankwieler portrayed Dennis Popish as the instigator and David Popish, who is battling cancer, as being pulled into the crime.

Dennis Popish made the fake bomb Friday at David Popish’s home, saying at the time he was going to play a joke on someone, Shankwieler said.

Police said most of the stolen drugs were recovered.

     

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