Bail Set at $50,000 for Two Washington County Men Charged in BP Robbery

Two Washington County men charged in the robbery of a BP in Wexford were arraigned by live streaming over the Internet Thursday morning and bail was set at $50,000 each.

Matthew McDonald, 19, and Charles Edward Clark, 21, appeared separately via webcam from the Washington County Jail before Magisterial District Judge William K. Wagner, whose courtroom is in McCandless.

Wagner asked both men if they had received a written criminal complaint stating the charges against them, to which they answered yes.

McDonald is charged with felony counts of robbery and criminal conspiracy and a misdemeanor charge of theft in the Nov. 13 robbery of the BP gas station and convenience store in T-Bones plaza along Route 910 near the Interstate 79 ramps in Marshall Township.

Clark is charged with a felony count of criminal conspiracy.

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Both also face multiple charges in Washington County. Click here for a story detailing those charges.

Wagner told the men their preliminary hearings are scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 12 and that they should contact the public defender's office to ensure they have legal counsel.

Clark was arraigned first and had to wait about 20 minutes because the judge was busy. When court clerks came in to give him updates, he answered with "Yes, ma'am" and "Thank you."

He addressed the judge as "sir" in the few times he spoke.

McDonald also was polite in addressing the judge as "sir" and "your honor". 

Wagner explained that live streaming for an arraignment is not needed if the person charged is located in Allegheny County. He or she simply comes to the courtroom or is transported there from the Allegheny County Jail.

"In Allegheny County you don't need it," Wagner said. "For Washington County, this is ideal."

Without live streaming, law enforcement personnel would have transported the men to the courtroom by way of the Allegheny County Jail and then back to the Washington County Jail for the arraignment that took less than five minutes.

Both men will be transported to Wagner's courtroom for their preliminary hearings.

Wagner's court, 05-2-12, hears cases from Marshall, Pine, McCandless and Bradford Woods.

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