Three people were arrested on weapons charges after Pennridge Regional Police were called to a house in the 700 block of Allentown Road for reports of a disturbance in which occupants of the home were heard arguing and gunfire was heard. Two were also charged with drug offenses.
Following a call received by the Bucks County Emergency Communications Center at approximately 8:50 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, officers approached the house and saw a man and a woman seated at the dining room table. After knocking on the door, police said they saw a man running to the second floor.
When the homeowner, Denise Dearden, answered the door she was asked about the reported incident and denied any gunfire or disturbance at her home, police said.
When officers asked to speak to the man who ran upstairs, Dearden began to call the man by the name of Jason. Dearden walked from the front door and returned with another man, identified as Brian Bleam, stating that he was the only man inside the house, police said.
The man who had fled upstairs refused to come down, and was identified by officers as Jason Hill. Hill was believed to have multiple warrants for possessing firearms, and was a suspect in a stolen gun incident a few months earlier, police said.
Due to Hill’s refusal to speak to officers and the police department’s previous knowledge of his propensity to have firearms, police said, additional officers were requested to assist at the scene. Officers from Hilltown Township Police, Quakertown Borough Police and Richland Township Police responded, and the Central Bucks SERT (Special Emergency Response) Team was activated.
Officers on scene also contacted neighbors and requested they shelter in place or leave their homes.
After about an hour of negotiating with Hill, he came out of the house without any further incident.
Based on evidence located in the house, members of the Pennridge Regional Police Department conducted a search of the home on Sunday, Jan. 21, following the issuing of a search warrant.
Based on that search warrant, police said, the following criminal arrests were made:
Jason Hill, 38, of Hatfield, was taken into custody on two warrants for illegal possession of a firearm stemming from a criminal investigation in Montgomery County.
Denise Dearden, 58, of West Rockhill, was taken into custody on Jan. 21 and charged with numerous drug charges to include possession of a prohibited weapon, a firearm with a barrel shorter then 18 inches, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and numerous charges of drug possession and possession of paraphernalia. She was arraigned by District Judge Mark Douple of Warrington with an unsecured bail in the amount of $75,000.
Brian Bleam, 40 of Quakertown, has been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon along with numerous drug charges. A criminal complaint has been filed. Additional criminal charges may be filed pursuant to this ongoing investigation.
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