Man robs store then sparks wild motorcycle road rage

🚨John Mathis was involved in a road rage incident in Bensalem on Aug.2

🚨He robbed a Philadelphia cell phone store a hour before, cops say

🚨Mathis is being held on $1 million bail

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The man who police fired at during a road rage incident on Aug. 2 robbed a cell phone store an hour before on Aug. 2.

Bensalem police said a call was received via 911 from a driver headed north on Bristol Pike near Appleton Avenue late in the afternoon. who said a man on a motorcycle pointed a gun at their vehicle and passengers who feared for their life,  according to Bensalem Police Director of Public Safety William McVey.

The suspect, later identified as John Thomas Mathis, 44, of Levittown ran away on foot. When police found Mathis and confronted him he turned slightly causing the officer who followed him on foot to fire at him.

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Earlier cell phone robbery

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said Thursday that investigators learned Mathis held up a Metro by T-Mobile store on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia with a black semi-automatic handgun around 4:55 p.m. He stole an estimated $1,000 in cash from the register and fled on a black Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.

The first call came into 911 around 5:34 p.m. about a man on a black motorcycle on Bristol Pike. Schorn said that Mathis was involved in another road rage incident in Bristol on July 27 which involved several collisions. Mathis also smashed a car's windshield with a bat.

Schorn said that police recovered a black 9mm pistol that was not registered to him. Mathis may not legally possessing firearms due to a history of felony convictions.

Mathis is charged with one count each of robbery and theft by unlawful taking, two counts each of prohibited possession of a firearm, firearms not to be carried without a license, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

He was also charged with evading arrest or detention on foot, driving on a suspended license, reckless driving and driving an unregistered vehicle.

Mathis is being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility with bail set at $1 million, 10 percent.

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