Greensburg man jailed, accused of harassing high school students at bus stop

A Greensburg man is behind bars after city police said he directed a racial slur at a student who was standing at a school bus stop Thursday morning, according to court papers.

Witnesses told investigators Troy Michael Konieczny, 44, wielded a fire poker that had three knives attached to the end of it and was running around on West Otterman Street and North Hamilton Avenue at 6:30 a.m.

Police found the fire poker lying on the porch of a West Otterman Street home where Konieczny lives. He appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and was making incoherent statements when officers arrested him, according to court papers.

Five Greensburg Salem High School students provided written statements to investigators. They said Konieczny called one of the students a racial slur and put the fire poker under the child’s arm, according to court papers. Another student told police Konieczny tapped her on the shoulder and “messed around” with her backpack.

Konieczny is charged with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness. He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $15,000 bail. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for March 27.