Chased-down robber sentenced

April 07, 2008

BELLEFONTE -- Never mess with a man called 'Pickle.'

In December, 21-year-old Peter Allen Jackson, of Sand Mountain Road in Spring Mills, held up Vernon 'Pickle' Jodon at Jodon's Country Place only to have the 60-year-old store owner chase him down, first by vehicle and then on foot.

On Monday, the man who was hauled back to stunned state police in the back of Jodon's pickup truck in December was sentenced by Centre County Judge Bradley P. Lunsford to serve four and a half to nine years in state prison for a guilty plea to armed robbery.

Ever since he was chased down by Jodon, Jackson admitted his guilt and made no excuses for his conduct, said Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira.

'It's a good sentence since literally from day one, from when he was arrested, he admitted to what he did, he waived his preliminary hearing, said he was not going to trial and that this was a case of extremely bad judgment,' Madeira said.

Jodon has at times questioned his own judgment that December day.

Having been burglarized three times before, Jodon got angry when Jackson put a loaded .38-caliber handgun in his face and stole $505 from his cash register. Jodon -- nicknamed 'Pickle' by his brother -- went after Jackson.

Jodon jumped in his Chevrolet three-quarter-ton pickup, rammed Jackson's car several times until it was disabled, and then gave chase on foot. Even though the store owner knew the gun was loaded -- he saw bullets when it was pointed at his face -- he continued to pursue the robber.

Finally, Jackson turned around and, instead of raising his weapon, he dropped it, Jodon said.

Despite the ordeal, Jodon said he did not want to see Jackson go to prison.

'He made one mistake there and I'd hate to see him go to a state penitentiary,' Jodon said. 'I don't think he had any real intention of shooting me.'

Asked if he would do it all again, with benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Jodon said he would.

'But I'd probably stay back a little further,' he said. 'It wasn't the smartest thing to do. But we were robbed three other times and I had it in my mind he wasn't getting away.'

Pete Bosak can be reached at 235-3928.

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