Lancaster County man pulls gun on officers trying to arrest him, police say

As West Hempfield Township Police were trying to take a Lancaster County man into custody after he allegedly assaulted a woman and nearly ran her over with his truck, the man allegedly pulled a pistol on police, police said.

Austin M. Hougendobler, 22, of East Lampeter Township, was charged with four felony counts of aggravated assault, misdemeanor counts of endangering welfare of children, simple assault and driving under the influence, and several other related offenses, according to court records.

At around noon on Friday, a woman called 911 to say she was a passenger in Hougendobler’s truck and that he had assaulted her and threatened her with a gun, according to a news release from the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office. A 1-year-old child was also in the truck at the time.

Hougendobler took the woman’s cellphone when she initially tried to call 911, but she was able to use a second cellphone to call.

Hougendobler drove west on Route 30 and exited onto Stony Battery Road. It was there that police attempted to stop him by activating emergency lights and sirens, according to the release. But Hougendobler kept driving, eventually turning into a business lot in the 700 block of Indian Springs Drive.

Once in the business lot, the woman was able to get out of Hougendobler’s vehicle, but while the woman was exited the vehicle, Hougendobler put the truck in reverse and the passenger door that was still open nearly struck the woman, according to the release. Hougendobler backed the truck up to a curb and a police vehicle pulled in front of his truck to prevent him from moving.

That’s when, investigators say, Hougendobler got out of his truck and “in an aggressive manner,” shouted at police. Police had made repeated commands for him to comply and be taken into custody when Hougendobler “reached into his waistband for the pistol,” according to the district attorney’s office.

Police from West Hempfield and East Hempfield townships who had responded knew Hougendobler was armed because of the report from earlier, and when he drew the pistol, police used a Taser on him.

“The gun dropped onto the truck’s hood and Hougendobler fell backward onto the pavement,” according to the district attorney’s office. When he fell, he hit his head on the pavement and he was taken to a local hospital for his head injury. As of Saturday afternoon, Hougendobler was still getting treatment at the hospital and had not yet been arraigned, according to the district attorney’s office.