Mineville robbery suspect arraigned

By LOHR McKINSTRY
Staff Writer

April 07, 2008 04:00 am

— MINEVILLE -- State Police have arraigned the former Moriah man who allegedly tried to hold up the Hometown Pharmacy at knifepoint Saturday afternoon.
Joseph Budwick, 35, now of Elizabethtown, was charged with felony first-degree robbery during his arraignment before Moriah Town Justice Brian Venne.
Budwick was sent to the Essex County Jail at Lewis without bail and is due back in court April 10 for a preliminary hearing.
Police would not release information about the holdup until Sunday, saying they were waiting until Budwick was arraigned.
State Police said Budwick entered the pharmacy at 3208 Plank Road in Mineville at the closing time of 1 p.m. and demanded prescription drugs. Witnesses said he struck pharmacy clerk Carol Corbo in the face and put a plastic bag over the head of pharmacist Robert Corbo. The Corbos are the long-time owners of the pharmacy.
The couple was treated at Elizabethtown Community Hospital and released.
Budwick allegedly wore a disguise, a false mustache and goatee, when he entered the pharmacy.
His plan collapsed when Mrs. Corbo managed to get to the door and shout for help.
William Orr, who owns the nearby Didder's Tavern, raced across the street and grabbed Budwick as he rushed out the back of the drugstore. Orr was assisted by Ward Hanchett and Michael McBride.
"I got him by the tree," Orr said. "He was running. I tackled him."
The men held Budwick down in the snow about 25 yards from the rear of the building until State Police arrived.
Orr said Budwick had bottles of pills, including codeine, in both hands and unsuccessfully tried to swallow some after they caught him.
Budwick displayed a knife during the robbery, police said, but Orr said he'd apparently thrown it into the washroom at the pharmacy as he ran out. Budwick was wearing white latex gloves, Orr said, in an apparent effort to avoid leaving fingerprints.
Budwick's sister, Tammy A. Grey, 39, of Witherbee, who allegedly drove him to the pharmacy in her late-model compact car, was charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal facilitation. Witnesses said she dropped her brother off, then came back to get him and was arrested.
She was issued an appearance ticket for Moriah Town Justice Court on April 8.
State Police asked anyone with information on the robbery to call them at 873-2750. Bureau of Criminal Investigation Investigator Marshall Rocque is in charge of the case.
lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com