Ohio man accused in bizarre North Huntingdon bank heist attempt headed to trial
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The family of an Ohio man arrested in a bizarre Westmoreland County bank robbery scheme involving a mask and claim of bombs at two area high schools said Wednesday they still can’t understand his actions.
Luke J. Dell, 35, of Beavercreek, Ohio, made his first court appearance Wednesday since his arrest Oct. 22.
Police say Dell wore a mask depicting the wrinkled face of an aging white man with disheveled blond-gray hair, eyebrows and beard, and went into a Bob Evans Restaurant on Route 30 in North Huntingdon around 9:15 a.m. the day of his arrest.
He allegedly put a note on the counter describing imminent threats at Norwin and Jeannette high schools. A North Huntingdon patrolman foiled the robbery attempt as he pulled Dell over in a car matching the description of the suspect’s as Dell allegedly was on his way to a bank.
Dell’s twin sister, Jessie Thompson, of the Cincinnati area, was among nine family members who drove five hours Wednesday to support her brother at his preliminary hearing before District Judge Wayne Gongaware in North Huntingdon.
“This is very shocking to all of us … we still can’t believe it. Luke’s never even been in trouble before,” Thompson said.
“It took a couple of days for it to sink in for me. But, once I was through that I knew, all of us knew, we had to be here to support him,” she said. “God is forgiving.”
Dell waived his right to a hearing on charges of terroristic threats, threats to use weapons of mass destruction, reckless endangerment, possessing instruments of crime and theft.
His attorney, Michael Aubele of Uniontown, said no plea agreement is in place. Gongaware denied bond for Dell, saying he is a danger to the community.
Aubele said he intends file a motion next month before Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio seeking to have bond set for Dell so he can be released from jail to await trial.
“As you can see by the support here today, this was completely out of character for him. Luke’s never had any legal trouble prior to this,” he said.
Dell told authorities immediately after his arrest that he had to have federal security clearance for the factory job he held in Ohio.
According to township police, restaurant employees immediately called police after seeing the note and provided photographs of the man along with the black Dodge Charger he was driving. Police soon learned the Charger had a Pennsylvania license plate stolen from a car on Robbins Station Road.
Around 11 a.m., a North Huntingdon officer, who was going to the Robbins Station Road address, noticed the black Dodge Charger with the stolen license plate ahead of him and performed a traffic stop.
Dell did not speak with reporters during his brief appearance in court Wednesday, but greeted family members as he was led by deputies into court.
Police said Dell was visiting a female friend in the area when he attempted the robbery and had purchased the mask weeks earlier Ohio.
Although Dell told police he had bought a gun, police said they did not find a gun on him.
The note left at Bob Evans caused school officials in both districts to cancel classes so authorities could search the buildings.
As part of the investigation, Robbins Station Road at Clay Pike Road was closed while authorities searched Dell’s vehicle. No explosives were found.
Thompson said her brother reports that he is managing “OK” in prison.
“He’s leading a prayer circle there every night with other prisoners. It’s grown to 16 people now,” she said.
“Luke’s a loving, compassionate guy and the best man I know. Just like everyone I know, we all make bad choices sometimes,” she said.
If convicted of the charges, Dell faces a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison and fines in excess of $50,000, Gongaware said.