On a Sunday morning in March 2016, Ronald F. Heist, a 71-year-old man, was killed while at work at the Fort Littleton interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A retired York City police officer, Heist was employed as a security guard for a contracted detective agency. The incident that led to his death began to unfold around 7 a.m. when a retired state trooper, 55-year-old Clarence D.
Briggs, attempted an armed robbery at the toll plaza.
Briggs first confronted two tollbooth employees, forcing them into a nearby building where he tried to tie them up. However, a struggle ensued, and the employees managed to get free. At this point, a fare collection vehicle arrived at the interchange. As toll collector Danny Crouse, who was 55 years old, approached the vehicle, Heist exited from the passenger side. It was then that Briggs opened fire, fatally shooting both Heist and Crouse.
Following the initial shooting, Briggs fired at the armored vehicle, prompting the driver to flee on foot. Briggs then entered the vehicle and drove it a short distance to where he had parked his own car, and he began to transfer money. State troopers arrived at the scene shortly after the initial call and confronted Briggs. An exchange of gunfire followed, during which Briggs was shot and killed.
Investigations into a possible motive for Briggs's actions revealed that he was facing significant financial difficulties, having filed for bankruptcy the previous year with over $300,000 in debt. As the sole suspect in the killings of Ronald Heist and Danny Crouse, Clarence D. Briggs's death at the scene concluded the investigation, meaning there were no subsequent arrests, trials, or convictions.
