A homeless man who is accused of attacking and trying to rob an elderly Towamensing Township resident is in jail.

Shawn Reinhart, 35, faces charges on one count each of aggravated assault, robbery, criminal trespass, simple assault and harassment.According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper Nicholas Fiorey of the Pennsylvania State Police:At 10:15 a.m. Friday, Fiorey responded to a residence on Interchange Road for an assault.While en route, Fiorey noticed a man matching the description of the suspect, later identified as Reinhart, walking through a field not far from the residence.Fiorey approached Reinhart, who looked in the direction of the police car, and then laid down in the field.Fiorey drove into the field and Reinhart stood up and began running in the opposite of the patrol car.Fiorey chased Reinhart in his car through the field for a short distance and then took Reinhart into custody.Reinhart said that he was visiting his mother’s grave site until it got dark on Thursday.He said that he began walking when he came across a large garage that he knew was open, and decided to spend the night there.Reinhart said he sat down in a chair and took a nap for the night. While walking around inside the garage Friday morning, he heard a door shut from the residence.He said he got scared and hid behind the door. When the door opened, he grabbed a piece of wood and struck the victim.Reinhart said he began to wrestle around with the resident for a while before getting up and running away.He said that he was walking through a field when he saw the police car, so he laid down to try to hide because he knew he had a warrant and he got scared.Fiorey took Reinhart back to the residence where the incident took place, and saw the victim standing in his driveway. Blood was covering his head, face and clothing.Fiorey noticed he had cuts on the front and back of his head.The 77-year-old man said he came of the house and began heading out to the garage to gas up his chain saw.As he opened the door, the victim told police he was struck in the back of the head.The victim said he then turned away and saw Reinhart standing behind the door with a piece of wood.He then grabbed Reinhart, and they began wrestling. While they were wrestling, the victim said Reinhart demanded he give him money multiple times.He said Reinhart managed to get away and took off running from his property.Reinhart is lodged in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 straight bail.He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. April 26 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.