Gunman pleads in 3 shootings, break-in, stolen car

1-man crime spree might get up to 287 years in prison

MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A Chester man entered open guilty pleas to three nonfatal shootings, one burglary and possession of a stolen car before Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Cappelli.

Carl D. Thomas Jr., 34, pleaded to three counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by person prohibited, and one count each of burglary of a residence with a person present and receiving stolen property.

The plea deal worked out by First Assistant District Attorney Tanner Rouse and defense counsel Clinton Johnson with assistance from Tracie Burns resolves five open dockets against Thomas from 2020 and included dismissal of attempted murder charges in three of them.

Thomas has been in prison since his arrest in Chester Aug. 3, 2020, following a traffic stop.

Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky said in a release at that time that Officer Zachary Litvinenko was on patrol at about 6:31 p.m. when he saw the operator of a 2004 Ford Taurus fail to use the turn signal as it turned from Seventh Street onto Caldwell Street.

The officer activated his lights and siren and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the Taurus took off at a high rate of speed westbound on Caldwell.

Gretsky said the driver, later identified as Thomas, lost control of the vehicle and it crashed at Eighth and Hinkson streets. Thomas ran north on Hinkson, where Officer Andrew Pownall attempted to take him into custody.

Thomas allegedly started to fight with Pownall, but he and Litvinenko overpowered Thomas and took him into custody after a brief struggle, according to the release. Police recovered a Remington ammunition box from the vehicle containing 36 rounds of .32-caliber ammunition, a police scanner and three cellphones.

Thomas was wanted for three shootings in a twomonth period in 2020.

The first took place at 9 p.m. on June 17 in the 1100 block of Madison Street. The victim was outside and was approached by Thomas, Gretsky said. Thomas shot at the victim, who was not wounded and later identified Thomas as the shooter.

The second shooting took place two days later at 12:30 a.m. on June 19, in the same block. In that instance, the victim was parking his vehicle when a pickup truck reversed down Madison Street and stopped, according to Gretsky.

The victim told police the driver of the pickup truck, who he identified as Thomas, rolled down his window and discharged his firearm four or five times into the victim’s vehicle. The victim was struck in a hip and was treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, said Gretsky.

The third shooting came on July 3 in the 1100 block of Melrose Avenue at about 6:50 p.m. The victim told Detective Benjamin Thomas that he was sitting in his vehicle when Thomas pulled up in a black Chevrolet coupe and got out.

Thomas then took a firearm from his waistband and fired at the victim numerous times. The victim was struck in the chest as he tried to drive away and drove himself to CrozerChester Medical Center, where he was treated for his injury and released. Thomas was identified by video surveillance in that shooting, Gretsky said.

Court records indicate Thomas posted bail for the stolen car on Feb. 3, 2020, and the burglary occurred the following month.

Thomas faces a total combined sentence of up to 287 years in prison and $365,000 in fines at sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 21.