BENSALEM, PA – A Levittown man already under investigation for a violent crime spree is now facing a long list of new felony charges after allegedly robbing a Philadelphia cell phone store at gunpoint, threatening a driver with a firearm, and getting shot by police during a foot chase in Bensalem.
John Thomas Mathis, 44, was arraigned Friday morning and remains behind bars at the Bucks County Correctional Facility after a judge set his bail at $5 million, 10 percent.
The latest charges stem from a pair of back-to-back incidents on August 2 that ended in an officer-involved shooting on Bristol Pike.
Authorities say Mathis used a stolen gun and was barred from owning firearms due to prior felony convictions.
Around 4:54 p.m. on August 2, Mathis allegedly entered a Metro by T-Mobile store on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia, pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at employees, and stole $1,000 from the register before fleeing on a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. Less than an hour later, a 911 caller reported a man on a motorcycle threatening them with a firearm along northbound Bristol Pike in Bensalem. Police say Mathis pointed a handgun at the driver and threatened to shoot before fleeing the scene.
A responding Bensalem officer located Mathis and blocked his path with a patrol vehicle. When Mathis allegedly ran on foot while holding a gun, the officer opened fire after Mathis ignored repeated commands to stop. A black 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene and found to be unregistered. Mathis, who was wounded in the shooting, was treated at a hospital and later booked into jail after his release. The officer-involved shooting remains under active investigation.
Bucks County Detectives have since filed more than a dozen charges against Mathis, including robbery, theft, illegal firearm possession, terroristic threats, simple assault, and multiple counts of reckless endangerment. He also faces charges for evading police, driving on a suspended license, and operating an unregistered vehicle.
At the time of the August 2 incidents, Mathis was already facing charges from a separate road rage case just days earlier, on July 27. Prosecutors did not indicate whether additional charges are expected as investigations continue.
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Key Points
- John Mathis charged with robbery, assault, and firearm offenses after violent Aug. 2 incidents
- Police say he robbed a T-Mobile store and later threatened a driver with a handgun
- Mathis was shot by a Bensalem officer while fleeing and is now held on $5M bail
A robbery, a chase, and a bullet wound capped a violent day for a convicted felon already facing charges.