A Warrington man is headed to trial for attempted homicide of an Upper Gwynedd police officer last August along Cathys Lane in Upper Gwynedd Township, where authorities allege he fired at Sergeant Raymond Royds with a 12-gauge shotgun stolen from a home on Marlyns Lane.
Randy Root, 36, of the 2200 block of Pileggi Road, Warrington, Bucks County, had charges of felony attempted homicide, aggravated assault, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, recklessly endangering other persons, possessing an instrument of crime, possession of a prohibited weapon, burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, simple assault and criminal trespass held for trial by District Judge Suzan Leonard this week, according to Carl Hessler Jr. of The Reporter.
Root remains in Montgomery County jail on $1 million bail. A trial date has not been set. Root was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2009 burglary conviction, according to police.
In the article, Assistant District Attorney Scott Frame said Root was an extremely dangerous individual who was roaming the neighborhood, breaking into houses “and then clearly showed a disregard for any rules of society by firing a firearm at a police officer.”
Shortly after noon on Aug. 23, 2020, police were dispatched to the area of East Prospect Avenue and Hancock Road for a report of a suspicious man roaming in the area. The suspect — later identified as Root — was reportedly asking residents for water and was observed drinking out of nearby water hoses, police said.
Royds and Officer Minjoo Kim approached Root, but he fled the scene. He was found 45 minutes later, but evaded police again. Root was found a third time near Cathys and Marlyns lanes, and police said he emerged from behind a home on Cathys Lane, yelled at one of the officers and fired one shot at Royds.
According to the criminal complaint, Root allegedly said, “I am going to kill you,” and then used a racial slur.
Upper Gwynedd Township Police Chief David Duffy told North Penn Now in August that the shot, which was fired from about 10 yards (30 feet), missed the officer.
Root was taken from the scene to Lansdale Hospital, where he received treatment for detoxing from methamphetamine, Duffy said.
According to Hessler, police recovered three unfired Winchester 12-gauge shells, a .40-caliber rifle, and a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun from the rear yards of homes on Cathys Lane. The shotgun had a spent shot shell in the chamber. Police determined that the guns were stolen from a home on Marlyns Lane.
Root faces 20 to 40 years in prison on the attempted homicide charge.
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