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CLEARFIELD -- A Morrisdale man accused of stealing a dirt bike, a utility vehicle and a recreational vehicle, as well as charging over $11,000 on a stolen credit card, waived his right to preliminary hearings Wednesday.
Brandon James Hummel, 27, is charged with felony theft and receiving stolen property in three cases and with felony counts of forgery, access device fraud and more in a fourth case.
Hummel's bail for just these four cases totals $545,000.
The cases stem from Hummel's behavior in July and August, court documents state.
Police say on Aug. 5, a man reported his utility vehicle had been stolen from a residence in Cooper Township. A trail camera picked up a photo of the suspect and a neighbor had surveillance footage of the theft.
The UTV was recovered on Aug. 6 a little more than two miles away from the home on Route 53, behind a barn.
Two troopers said they saw a man they later identified as Hummel driving the stolen UTV. Because it was not listed as stolen at the time, he was not stopped. He drove off and parked behind a barn that matches the description of where it was later found.
Also on Aug. 5, police recovered a stolen Arctic Cat recreational vehicle along Route 53 in Cooper Township, according to the affidavit in that case.
It was spray painted and had damage to both the steering and suspension. A search of this vehicle uncovered a set of keys that reportedly matched Hummel's vehicle and a receipt from a store which the victim said did not belong to him.
When police checked the store's surveillance footage, they saw Hummel completing the transaction, the report states.
The last theft was reported on Aug. 7. The victim said his dirt bike had been stolen from his property in Morris Township. The victim's home security camera was able to provide video of the suspect's face and tattoos that helped police determine the crime was committed by Hummel, according to the report.
In the forgery case, Hummel reportedly used a credit card belonging to a woman who died in June. Between July 13 and July 22 at Walmart, Rural King and Big Lots, he allegedly made purchases totaling $7,955. In addition, a Lowe's card was used at Lowe's with purchases totaling $3,049, giving this theft a final total of $11,004, police said.
On Nov. 15, additional charges in three other cases were held to court after a hearing. In two of those cases, no bail was set because he is a "severe threat" to the public and a flight risk, according to online court documents. Bail in the third case is $25,000.
Hummel is charged with felony theft for stealing a motorcycle, fleeing from police in the second case and in the most serious case, with aggravated assault, possession of firearm prohibited, fleeing, criminal mischief, flight to avoid apprehension and more.
According to that affidavit, on Aug. 11, Hummel was driving a U-Haul van and attempted to elude police as he led them on a chase during which he tried to strike the police vehicles before they were able to stop him. Guns and a motorcycle were reportedly found in the van.