PITTSBURGH – A man who served almost 15 years in prison for a string of violent bank robberies in 1994 now faces 25 years-to-life for allegedly shooting a teller during last week’s hold up at Westmoreland Community FCU before hiding in the woods overnight in subfreezing temperatures to elude authorities.
David Louis Mathis, 45, used crutches and had bandaged feet due to frostbite when he appeared in federal court Monday on charges of robbery, conspiracy and discharging a weapon at the credit union in Hempfield Township on Friday.
Mathis was released from federal prison in February after serving most of a 15-year sentence for taking $104,000 from five Pittsburgh-area banks in 1994. Mathis burst into those banks firing guns into the ceiling, telling employees "they had 20 seconds to provide (money) or he would shoot them," court records show.
In Friday's heist, Mathis allegedly shot a teller's computer and the bullet passed through, hitting her in the chest, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed Monday.
The teller is expected to survive, but remained hospitalized Monday.
The affidavit said police found a vehicle with the money in it and footprints in the snow leading to some woods after a trooper chased a vehicle matching the getaway vehicle's description. Police captured the alleged getaway driver, Lamont Laprade, 32, of Huntington, W.Va., shortly after the heist and he identified Mathis as the robber. Laprade's girlfriend said the suspects met in prison and that Mathis had saved Laprade from getting stabbed there, the records said.
Mathis forced a man to give him a ride to Westmoreland Mall on Saturday after spending "all night in the woods. He's soaked and been in subfreezing temperatures," authorities said.
