Harborcreek Man Missing; Victim of Carjacking by Fugitive Cody Potthoff
State troopers arrested Cody Potthoff, 25 of Corry, Thursday morning after tracking him to a home in Warren. He's charged with attempted homicide for a shooting last week on Chestnut Street in the City of Erie.
Police had been looking for him since he reportedly sped off from Edinboro Police Wednesday morning.
Investigators say he stole several vehicles throughout northwest Pennsylvania as he fled from police. He's facing lots of charges, including attempted homicide and robbery. State Police say he's also connected to a death investigation.
Pottoff is also being investigated in connection to a missing persons case, with foul play suspected. Erie News Now has uncovered that missing person is a victim of a carjacking.
Pennsylvania State Police spent the day gathering and processing evidence in the case against Cody Potthoff. They say one of the several vehicles he stole while running from police was a man's pickup truck from a Harborcreek home. We have learned from neighbors the suspect drove away with the victim inside the truck, who is still missing.
State Police converged on the Harborcreek area Wednesday afternoon, when they learned Cody Potthoff was spotted at the Mindi Court Trailer Park, off Station Road.
Nearby neighbors were told to get inside as police searched the area for an alleged violent fugitive.
Investigators eventually tracked Pottoff to a home in Columbus, Pa., in Warren County, where they found a stolen red pickup truck. They traced the owner back to a residence on Dynes Avenue in Haborcreek, steps away from where Potthoff was last seen.
According to neighbors, the owner of the red truck is missing. But many of these neighbors are holding out hope.
"We're all concerned here about him, and hoping very much so, and praying, that he's found and to be okay," said neighbor Jon Boyer.
In the missing person case, according to a State Police news release, foul play is suspected.
At last check, Potthoff was in State Police custody set to be arraigned on the charges of attempted homicide and weapons charges stemming from a shooting last week on the City of Erie.
Investigators plan to conduct interviews with Potthoff in connection to a death investigation and what he was allegedly up to in the 22 hours he was on the run.