Barry Baker Charged With Flight To Avoid Apprehension

WEST CHESTER, PA — Barry Baker, accused of assaulting a man in front of a West Chester 7-Eleven with cerebral palsy, has had additional charges of flight to avoid apprehension filed against him, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced.

After the original charges against Baker were filed and a warrant was issued for his arrest, he fled from police, leading authorities on a two-week manhunt before his capture on June 5. United States Marshals and the Chester County Sheriff's Office

The incident, which was caught on security cameras, occurred at around 2:30 a.m. on May 10 at the 7-11 on 200 South High Street in the borough, authorities said. Baker can be seen mocking the way a man with cerebral palsy walks, before turning suddenly and sucker punching him in the jaw.

In the weeks after the highly publicized incident, there has been a public outcry to charge Baker with a hate crime. For now, he is charged only with assault and flight to avoid apprehension.

Baker missed multiple hearings connected to the assault, as well as for a previous theft from a motor vehicle case, authorities said. He had promised he would show up to court, and instead fled the home he shared with his fiancee so that he would elude capture.

His fiancee has since been charged with hindering the manhunt for Baker, as she lied to police and even helped set up Baker's hideout in an Exton hotel, where he was ultimately captured, the DA alleges.

Authorities eventually tracked Baker to the hotel in Exton, where he was hiding the bathroom with his iPhone on "airplane mode," a common tactic of criminals to avoid being tracked, a criminal complaint states.

During a search of his iPhone, investigators looked at Baker's search history and discovered he was looking for ways out of the country. Searches included "how do cops ping a cell phone" and "how to change my personal name," authorities said. He also looked up Amtrak train and Greyhound bus schedules. In a text to a friend, he said that he was not going to go to prison.

An arraignment for his latest charge is forthcoming.

See Patch's full coverage of the incident below:

• Barry Baker, Wanted For Attacking Man With Cerebral Palsy, Is Captured: Cops
  
• Video: Suspect Mocks, Then Sucker Punches Man With Cerebral Palsy
• Suspect Accused In Chester County Beating Of Man Draws National Fury
• Suspect Who Attacked Man With Cerebral Palsy In West Chester Also Stole From Military Graves

Image via Chester County District Attorney's Office