DNA links suspect to Family Video robbery

MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Police Department said an aggravated robbery at Family Video in September has been solved using DNA from the suspect after he dropped his sweatshirt, mask, a knife and lost a shoe during an altercation with an employee.

Timothy S. Fliger II, 21, was arrested on a charge of aggravated robbery, a felony of the first degree, Wednesday by the Richland County division of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 224 Atcheson Ave., according to Mansfield police Lt. Rob Skropits.

Skropits said officers responded to the video store at 198 Park Ave. West at 11:32 p.m. Sept. 3 in reference to an armed robbery.

The store employee told police the suspect entered the store and appeared to be shopping but then walked up and demanded money of an employee while showing a large knife. The employee then got into a physical altercation with the suspect at which time the suspect dropped his sweatshirt and lost his shoe, mask and the knife, according to police.

The man ran out of the store and did not take any property, Skropits said.

Skropits and Mansfield police Chief Kenny Coontz said patrol did an excellent job of collecting and preserving evidence.

The items were taken to the Mansfield police crime lab where crime analyst Dawn Fryback's analysis of DNA hit on Fliger, police said.

Mansfield police Detective Bill Bushong conducted a photo lineup and took Fliger back to the store and an employee identified him as the suspect.

U.S. Marshals arrested him Wednesday morning.

Skropits said while he doesn't encourage victims to struggle and fight back with suspects, it did work out well in this case.

Coontz said this is a good example of how complex solving a crime can be. He said the collaboration among agencies also required a lot of work for a case that easily could have been a crime going unsolved.

The suspect initially walked into the store without a mask on then placed a dark-colored scarf around his face, which later fell on the floor, police said.

Coontz commended the employees for being alert and on guard when the patron walked in the store.

The employee, Sam Neer, 18, of Galion, said store policy is don't try to fight back but on instinct he jumped on the suspect since he has been a wrestler since he was 5 years old.

A Northmor High School graduate now attending the Ohio State University at Mansfield, Neer on Wednesday said he was glad the suspect was captured.

"He came up behind me behind the counter and demanded money," Neer said. "He had the mask on then."

Neer said when the suspect came inside the store he spoke to him and the man had a hood on since it was raining.

"We say hi to everyone who comes in," he said. "I was definitely scared, I won't lie."

Neer said he was surprised to hear how useful he was, as the struggle prompted the man to drop personal items including the knife.

Fliger is in the Richland County Jail.

Lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir