Last Thursday morning, Aug 29, 2019, at 5:15 a.m. patrol officers from the New Castle County Division of Police were dispatched to the unit block of Cypress Avenue in the community of Westfield reference to a burglary in progress, according to M/Cpl. Michel Eckerd.
When the units arrived, they found signs of an attempted home invasion. They also learned that the victim heard voices coming from the back yard. When the victim went to investigate, he saw that the doorknob was turning from the outside and pushed the door closed as an unknown subject attempted to push the door open, according to Eckerd. The victim started yelling and other family members came downstairs to his aid.
This commotion caused the subjects to flee out of the backyard and drive away in a white pick-up.
Arriving officers located the white pick-up on Limestone Road and stopped it at Laura Avenue.
Both the driver of the truck, 31-year-old Brett Johns and his passenger 27-year-old John Sniadowski were taken into custody.
Police found weapons and other evidence that connected them to the incident on Cypress inside of the vehicle, said Eckerd.
Detectives from the New Castle County Police Criminal Investigations Unit charged both Johns and Sniadowsk with: one count each felony Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, five counts each of felony Attempted Home Invasion, one count each of felony Impersonating a Police Officer, one count each felony Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, one count each of felony Conspiracy 2nd degree and one charge each of misdemeanor Criminal Mischief.
Eckerd did not disclose why both men were charged with Impersonating a Police Officer.
Both were arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and held in lieu of $312,100 cash bail.