BROCKWAY – A Pennsylvania State Trooper who was accidentally shot was in the process of arresting a tool thief when the accident occurred.
According to court documents, troopers were investigating Michael Jon Weber for his part in a garage burglary near Rockton in Clearfield County.
The alleged victim of the theft contacted police after he received a call from a confidential informant regarding his missing tools. The man state that Weber had the tools and wanted to sell them to him. The informant and police set up a purchase with Weber to get the tools back and to arrest Weber.
On March 1 at 1:25 p.m., the informant met Weber at the Hut Family Restaurant near Brockway. Weber was observed pulling up to the restaurant and opening his trunk. The informant signaled to police and they arrested Weber.
The tools matched the description of the missing tools. They were valued at $988. Weber admitted the the tools were not his but that he was holding them. He provided police with a written statement regarding his involvement with the stolen tools.
At some point during the arrest time frame, one of the troopers gun went off, wounding the another trooper. That trooper was taken from the restaurant to a hospital by helicopter. His wounds were reported as non-life-threatening.