State police: Armed man threatened hotel staff, caused hit-and-run

Eric Scicchitano, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Mar. 21—State troopers filed charges in Montour, Snyder and Cumberland counties against a Virginia man for an alleged gun crime and ensuing police pursuit this month.

Ryan Da Silva, 31, assaulted staff of the Super 8 by Wyndham hotel near Danville and threatened them with a gun at 10:25 a.m. March 7, according to Trooper Kyle Thorpe of state police at Milton.

Da Silva fled in a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder before police arrived, Thorpe said.

Trooper Taylor Rupert of state police at Selinsgrove said that at about 11 a.m., Da Silva was driving erratically on North Susquehanna Trail: weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating other motorists, speeding, driving in the center turning lane and brake-checking motorists.

Da Silva "brandished a firearm" from his driver-side window toward another vehicle and subsequently caused a rear-end crash with that vehicle after slamming on his brakes in front of it at the interchange with Route 11-15, Rupert said.

After the crash, Da Silva fled before police arrived and continued south.

Police sought Da Silva on a BOLO (Be On the LookOut) stemming from the hotel incident. Troopers pursued Da Silva on southbound 11-15 in Cumberland County about 12:15 p.m. and terminated the pursuit when he crossed into Adams County, according to Trooper Frank Ross of state police at Newport.

Troopers from state police at Gettysburg apprehended Da Silva on Route 15 in Adams County after he ran over a stop sign, causing a tire to blow out, and continued driving before being taken into custody, Ross said.

Thorpe charged Da Silva for the hotel incident with aggravated assault and prohibited possession of a firearm, both felonies, plus misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person. Magisterial District Judge Marvin Shrawder, Danville, ordered Da Silva on March 8 to be held in county jail on $100,000 cash bail.

Magisterial District Judge John Reed of Selinsgrove set bail at $75,000 cash on March 18 when arraigning Da Silva on 16 counts related to the hit-and-run crash in Snyder County including aggravated assault, terroristic threats and simple assault. Rupert filed those counts.

Da Silva has not yet been arraigned on counts stemming from the pursuit in Cumberland County. Ross filed 13 charges including fleeing or attempting to elude police and flight to avoid apprehension at the office of Magisterial District Judge Michael Sanderson of Enola.

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