Monessen man charged with assaulting police who responded to trespassing complaint
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A Monessen man is charged with resisting arrest, assaulting police and using feces to vandalize a city holding cell.
Charles Turman, 39, was placed in the Westmoreland County jail after the incident that began at about 10 a.m. on Friday in Monessen.
Monessen police said they stopped Turman on Schoonmaker Avenue after spotting the sedan he was driving as a match for one associated with a trespassing complaint that day at MRC Global on Maronda Way.
According to court documents, a witness told police Turman entered the company property, argued with his wife and caused a disturbance after dropping her off at work. The disturbance occurred after Turman saw a co-worker offer his wife a ride as she was walking the rest of the way to work, the documents state.
The witness said Turman passed outside the gate to the property, picked up rocks from the ground and began throwing them in his wife’s direction.
After police stopped Turman’s car, he exited the vehicle, took a fighting stance, screamed racial slurs toward officers and threatened them, according to court documents. Police said Turman told them “you’re lucky I don’t got that thang on me. I would shoot all of you.”
Other police units were called from Rostraver, North Belle Vernon and Charleroi to help take Turman into custody. Police said he resisted being handcuffed and being placed in a police vehicle and a Taser was used to get him into the vehicle.
Turman kicked at one officer, causing minor injuries to the officer’s arm, and kicked the vehicle’s doors once he was inside, police said.
While inside a holding cell at the Monessen police station, Turman defecated on the floor, threw the excrement and then stuck tissue paper he had used to the cell wall, according to court documents.
Turman was arraigned before District Judge Wayne P. Vlasic on charges of resisting arrest, three counts each of aggravated assault and terroristic threats and two counts each of institutional vandalism and disorderly conduct.
He was unable to post $20,000 bail and was placed in the Westmoreland County jail. He faces a Sept. 16 preliminary hearing.