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Miller

A man involved in a Chanceford Township home invasion was shot multiple times by the homeowner early Tuesday morning, police said.

The attempted robbery was not random, according to state police, who said the four men believed Douglas Downs kept cash inside his home in the 3700 block of Brownton Road.

James Herlth, 20, of Red Lion, was shot in his chest, hands and neck when Downs grabbed a gun and shot him repeatedly, according to charging documents.

Herlth was taken to York Hospital in a private vehicle by his girlfriend and another woman, police said.

He is "under close medical care," according to a state police news release. His condition could not be obtained Wednesday morning.

Herlth will be charged in connection with the crime, police said.

Charged: Police have already charged three men.

Chad Heath Miller, 33, of 14 High St. in Felton is charged with attempted homicide, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, carrying a firearm without a license, firing a gun in a structure and reckless endangerment. He remains in county prison on $200,000 bail.

Jacob David Dittenhafer, 24, of 116 Park St. in Springfield Township is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and tampering with evidence. He is in prison on $75,000 bail.

Robert Dale Young, 26, of 1963 Adair Road in Lower Windsor Township is charged with robbery, burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, tampering with evidence, trespass, simple assault and reckless endangerment, and he remains in prison on $100,000 bail.

What happened: According to charging documents, Dittenhafer told troopers he'd been drinking with Miller, Young and another man Monday when they dropped off the third man and picked up Herlth.

Dittenhafer drove to his home and picked up a shotgun and ammunition, as well as a stolen handgun, before driving to the home of roommates Downs and Andrew Boyd, documents state.

Once there, Young, who was armed with the shotgun, and Miller and Herlth, both carrying handguns, approached the house and Miller fired a bullet at the front door lock, documents state.

Miller and Herlth, who were wearing black ski masks, white latex gloves and dark clothing, barged into the house while Young waited outside and Dittenhafer waited in a Ford Explorer, documents state.

Miller forced Boyd to the basement toward a safe as Herlth held Downs at gunpoint in the living room, documents state.

Shot: Downs struggled with Herlth for the gun, but stopped when Herlth threatened to shoot him, police said.

While Herlth was distracted, Downs pulled out a .380-caliber handgun he kept hidden in the recliner where he was sitting and fired a number of shots at Herlth, hitting him in the chest multiple times, documents state.

Herlth dropped his gun and fell to the floor. Miller came upstairs to see what was going on, and he and Downs exchanged gunfire, documents state.

Downs "retreated" to another part of his home to grab a second handgun, police said; meanwhile, Miller summoned Young from outside to help him carry Herlth to the getaway vehicle.

The four men drove back to Miller's home, where Herlth was put into a pickup truck and taken to the hospital. Troopers were notified by hospital officials that a gunshot victim was at the hospital, police said.

Arrested: Troopers tracked down Young at his carpet-cleaning job in North York after learning a man who goes by the name of "Dale" works there and drives a silver Volkswagen matching the description given by a witness.

Troopers found bloodstains in the Volkswagen. Young confessed and implicated Miller, Herlth and Dittenhafer, documents state.

Dittenhafer was called to the state police barracks in Loganville. Dittenhafer drove to the barracks in the Ford, and troopers found a large amount of blood in the backseat, documents state.

- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.