A Penn Yan man was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a foot chase near South Avenue after he failed to appear for sentencing on multiple charges.
Joshua J. Woodruff, 37, had been scheduled for sentencing in Yates County Court on March 11 for charges related to Possession of Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child. Authorities allege that on the night before his court appearance, Woodruff staged a possible suicide scene in an attempt to evade law enforcement and potentially flee the state.
On March 12, police received a tip that Woodruff was hiding in a wooded area near South Avenue. When officers attempted to take him into custody, he fled on foot while armed with a fixed-blade knife. Additional assistance was requested from the New York State Police and the Yates County Sheriff’s Office, which deployed a drone and a K9 tracking unit. After an extensive search, officers located Woodruff hiding inside a large outdoor storage building.
Woodruff was taken into custody and charged with Obstruction of Governmental Administration by Penn Yan police. He was then turned over to state authorities on a bench warrant for failing to appear at sentencing.
The arrest was led by Investigator Wayne Marsh and supervised by Penn Yan Police Chief Thomas Dunham.
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