Man charged in local bank robbery waives preliminary

MONTGOMERY TWP. — A Philadelphia man who authorities said robbed a bank in Montgomery Township earlier this month, then led cops on a car and foot chase before being captured, is headed for trial on 10 criminal counts in connection with the alleged incident after waiving his Feb. 27 preliminary hearing.

Appearing in District Judge Andrea Hudak Duffy’s Montgomery Township courtroom, William Lee Adams, 46, waived his hearing as part of an agreement in which five charges were withdrawn by prosecutors — one count each of felony robbery, felony theft, summary careless driving, summary driving at safe speed and summary failure to yield to emergency vehicle.

However, Adams still faces two more counts of felony robbery and one count each of felony receiving stolen property, misdemeanor simple assault, felony attempting to elude law enforcement and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person, as well as four summary offenses.

Duffy maintained bail at $150,000 cash — which was set by District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar of Collegeville at Adams’ Feb. 17 preliminary arraignment — and Adams was transported back to Montgomery County Correctional Facility to await his April 9 formal arraignment in county court.

Authorities said that Adams robbed the TD Bank branch at 918 Bethlehem Pike shortly before 3 p.m. on Feb. 17.

According to Montgomery Township police Lt. Gerry Dougherty, Adams — who was wearing a gray hoodie, blue pants and a bandana over his face — jumped over the teller counter and took several thousand dollars in cash, then fled the bank on foot.

No weapon was displayed during the robbery, Dougherty said.

A witness saw the suspect get into a white Jeep Cherokee and flee south on Dekalb Pike; shortly after, officers spotted the vehicle on Route 63 near Route 309 and attempted to make a stop, Dougherty said.

However, according to Dougherty, Adams sped south on Route 309, took the Route 73 exit, and then stopped, exited the vehicle and ran while throwing money in the air. Officers immediately apprehended Adams and recovered several thousand dollars from him, Dougherty said.

State court records show Adams, who’s also known by the alias “Eric Bell,” has a lengthy criminal history, with robbery, rape, illegal drug possession and prostitution-related convictions in Philadelphia and Montgomery County dating back to 1985.