ROUNTREE

A Pittsburgh man faces felony charges after allegedly attempting to rob a man of his phone at the McLure Hotel.

Around 9:30 a.m. Nov. 25, Wheeling police responded to a call of an attempted armed robbery at the Market Street hotel, where a man said he had been approached by a man who asked to use his cell phone. After rebuffing the attempts, the man said the assailant demanded the phone, jabbing at him with an object wrapped in a red cloth. The man fled, unharmed, and called the police.

Hotel staff said the alleged assailant in question, Damon Rountree, 48 of Pittsburgh, was currently staying at the hotel. Police say Rountree declined to speak to them and declined to let them search his room.

Reviewing security footage with the hotel manager, police say footage shows Rountree following the man down a hallway to the parking garage, stopping him at the top of a stairwell to block his path. Rountree is allegedly seen on video making a jabbing motion toward the man, who then fled.

Rountree was arrested and charged with robbery. He was held in lieu of $10,000 bond at the Northern Regional Jail before his preliminary hearing earlier this week.