Penn Township man charged by police with firing handgun at vacant home
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A 49-year-old Penn Township man was arrested last week on charges of firing multiple rounds from a handgun at a nearby home.
Jon P. Petrush was arraigned on charges of criminal mischief and discharging a firearm at a structure by township police. He was ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $10,000 bond.
Police reported residents along the 1000 block of Valley Club Drive called police after hearing multiple gunshots early Thursday afternoon. Patrolman Cole Ward reported observing that the residence, which is empty and owned by a relative of Petrush, had multiple bullet holes in its siding and a window that was shot out. Damage was estimated at more than $1,000.
Cole said officers found Petrush, who lives nearby on Valley Club Drive, asleep inside a vehicle. Police recovered 12 spent shell casings and a .380 handgun inside the car.
When officers asked Petrush why he damaged the home, Cole said Petrush replied, “I wanted to fire a couple of rounds off.”
Petrush has no prior criminal record in Pennsylvania, according to online court dockets. He did not have an attorney listed in court papers.
A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled Friday.