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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — A Wilkes-Barre man accused of ambushing the seller of two dirt bikes by stealing a Chevrolet pickup truck at gunpoint waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Dayquan Melique Jones, 20, of Wilkes-Barre, appeared before District Judge Michael Dotzel waiving three counts each of robbery and criminal conspiracy, and one count each of terroristic threats and simple assault to Luzerne County Court.
Prosecutors withdrew two other robbery counts and a single count of aggravated assault against Jones.
Jones remains jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $250,000 bail. He is scheduled to be formally arraigned in county court on Oct. 9.
Jones was arrested after a near three hour standoff at an apartment building on Stanley Street, Wilkes-Barre, on July 21, several hours after he allegedly robbed Steven Brunson, 26, in a parking lot off East Northampton Street, Laurel Run.
State police at Wyoming alleged Jones and others who have not been charged conspired to meet Brunson in the parking lot.
Brunson, of Pottstown, claims he was contacted by two men interested in purchasing two dirt bikes. Brunson was asked if he could bring the dirt bikes to the parking lot because the buyers did not have a truck.
When Brunson arrived, he noticed three men in a dark SUV. As he got out of his 2003 Chevrolet Silverado to lower the tailgate, Brunson claimed one of the men pressed a handgun against his head saying, “I’ll blow your head off, give me everything,” according to the criminal complaint.
Another man removed keys from Brunson’s pocket.
Brunson told state police two people got into his Chevrolet and began driving away. Brunson jumped in the truck’s bed that prompted the driver to stop and the passenger got out aiming a handgun at him, the complaint says.
Brunson jumped out but jumped back into the bed several more times only to be threatened by the passenger each time. He jumped out and heard two shots as he ran for cover, according to the complaint.
Two 9mm shell casings were recovered in the parking lot.
State police said the Chevrolet was located on New Mallory Place and the dirt bikes under a porch at the Stanley Street apartment building where Jones was arrested.