Man accused of smashing McDonald police cruiser window pleads guilty
A man accused of vandalizing a McDonald Borough police cruiser with a baseball bat in April has pleaded guilty after a months-long search.
Video from the overnight hours of April 20 shows the suspect, Jacob Tigner, dressed in all black, carrying a baseball bat and approaching the McDonald Police Department.
Police say he beat on the station windows and shook the doors while wearing a ski mask, and later smashed the cruiser.
"We saw that a person carrying a baseball bat with a ski mask on came down and beat on the window of the police station and shook the doors trying to open them," said Chief Tim Motte.
Investigators obtained two search warrants that led them to further interviews, which confirmed Tigner was the man. But, he wasn't in Washington County. A cell phone ping put him in Iowa, and authorities say a grocery pickup helped seal the case.
"He used somebody's Instacart at Sam's Club, and the fugitive guys found out when he was able to pick up the groceries," said Chief Motte.
Tigner was extradited to Pennsylvania in August.
He has now pleaded guilty to institutional vandalism and other additional charges filed by McDonald and Mount Pleasant police, including simple assault, drug offenses, fleeing and making terroristic threats.
Police say the damaged cruiser was repairable, but the attack was unsettling for the small department.
"Kind of unnerved the officers that someone would come to the station and do something like that," said Chief Motte.
Tigner was sentenced to nine to 18 months in jail and two years of probation.