Dec 2, 2011 By Josh Krysak And Jennifer Harr 3 min read

WAYNESBURG — The Messenger recently obtained information regarding updates on several unrelated criminal cases that were reported in Greene County, including a local suspect facing multiple charges following an alleged assault and another suspect convicted of animal cruelty.

Man charged with assault

A Carmichaels man is facing multiple charges after police said he assaulted a woman he knows during an incident in Masontown on Monday evening.

Masontown police Chief Joseph C. Ryan said Ronald Lee Smith Jr., 33, was charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and harassment following the incident that occurred on Route 21.

According to Ryan, Smith and the woman, whom police did not identify, got into an altercation that led to the woman attempting to flee in a vehicle on Route 21.

Ryan said that Smith pursued her in another vehicle and forced her from the road on two occasions. When she was forced from the road a second time, Ryan said Smith smashed a window on her vehicle and then began punching her in the face.

When police arrived on scene, they had to chase Smith down River Avenue on foot before catching him and taking him into custody.

Smith was placed in Fayette County Prison on $25,000 straight cash bond following his arraignment.

A preliminary hearing will be held at a later date before Magisterial District Judge Randy S. Abraham.

Court: Man should be resentenced

The state Superior Court has ruled that a Greene County man convicted of two summary counts of animal cruelty should be resentenced.

Joseph Kozlowski, no age listed, of Nemacolin, had petitioned the court to overturn his convictions, but the ruling found that there was sufficient evidence to find him guilty of failing to provide proper care to nine head of beef cattle, and failure to provide adequate shelter and care for dogs.

However, a judge could not include as part of Kozlowski’s sentence that he could not ever own dogs or cattle again. Judge Farley Toothman did so, but could only legally prohibit Kozlowski from owning the animals for a maximum of 90 days for each citation.

In November 2009, the Greene County Humane Society received a complaint that Kozlowski had dead and neglected cattle, and dogs that were uncared for on his property.

After two visits, an officer found that there were several dead cattle in various stages of decomposition, and other cattle that were underweight and had parasites.

An officer also found malnourished dogs, and filed two citations before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson.

Watson found Kozlowski guilty of the citations, and Kozlowski appealed to Common Pleas Court, where Toothman also found him guilty.