Cops: Unity man subdued by Taser also accused of drug possession

Paul Peirce | Tuesday, February 5, 2019 12:54 p.m.

State police used a Taser early Tuesday to subdue a Unity man who became combative with four state troopers during a traffic stop.

Patrick A. Smith, 35, was arraigned on charges of resisting arrest, manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia filed by state police after the 1:12 a.m. incident in Youngstown Borough.

Smith was ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison by District Judge Michael Mahady after he failed to post $25,000 bail.

Trooper Jake Goza reported Smith was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a Latrobe woman who was pulled over for speeding along Route 982 North. Troopers asked the woman and Smith to exit the car. They smelled burned marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

Goza reported the woman complied, but Smith refused.

After Smith ignored repeated commands, troopers said Smith opened the car door and began to exit, but suddenly reached back inside.

When troopers attempted to detain him, Goza said Smith became combative and had to be Tased.

During a search, police discovered Smith possessed unspecified amounts of heroin stamp bags, cocaine, crystal meth, prescription pills, hypodermic needles, marijuana smoking pipes and a digital scale.

No charges were filed against the woman.

Smith’s preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 18 before Mahady.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.