Police arrested a Schenectady man for allegedly forcibly taking a cellphone and then stealing a truck from the Stratton Air National Guard base Wednesday night.
Billy Jack Batease, 29, of 1107 Barrett St. was walking in Freemans Bridge Road when a motorist had to stop to avoid hitting him, police said.
Batease struck the victim in the face and took the cellphone, police said.
The incident began just after 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to police Lt. Stephen Janik.
Glenville police arrived on scene and observed Batease running behind Envy Salon toward the Schenectady County Airport. As Glenville and Scotia Police and the Schenectady County Sheriff K9 set up a perimeter, authorities received a call from airport officials that an Air National Guard truck had been stolen by a man and driven right through both walls of a structure on the base, according to a press release from police.
Batease eventually stopped the truck but refused to exit. When Batease finally exited the vehicle he charged at officers, forcing them to use a Taser, police said.
While officers were taking him into custody, he bit Lt. Richard Conley in the left wrist and forearm, breaking the skin, police said.
Batease was eventually subdued. He was transported to Ellis Hospital for treatment and then to the Glenville Police Department after being discharged from the emergency room.
Batease was charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree assault, fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal mischief and third-degree burglary — all felonies. He also faces misdemeanors of resisting arrest, third-degree criminal trespass, fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree assault.
Batease was arraigned before Town Justice Richard Moran and remanded to the Schenectady County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. He will return to court at a later date.
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