Oct 30, 2020 By Messenger Staff 2 min read

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a Carmichaels man facing multiple charges following allegations that he recently threw a large metal hammer through the windshield of a parked police cruiser in Washington County.

Justin Ray McGowan, 30, is facing charges of aggravated assault, institutional vandalism, assault by prisoner, obstruction, resisting arrest, flight to avoid apprehension, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

He was arraigned on the charges before Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson in Washington County, following an alleged incident that occurred on Oct. 21 after midnight on Meldon Avenue in Donora.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Donora police officers responded to a report that a suspect had thrown the hammer through the cruiser’s windshield while it was parked at the police station.

Police then began chasing the suspect on foot, and after refusing to adhere to police orders to stop, the suspect – later identified as McGowan – stopped and was placed in custody.

Police said while he was in a cell at the Donora police station, he defecated on the cot; and while transporting him to the Washington County Jail later at around 2:30 a.m., McGowan allegedly placed his mouth in the open slot through the cage in the patrol vehicle and proceeded to spit several times on the officer, forcing the officer to stop, the affidavit states.

When police arrived at the jail, it was discovered that McGowan had urinated in the back of the vehicle and also forced to vomit, creating “a potential hazard to Donora police, himself and the (jail) staff,” the affidavit states.

Following arraignment, he was placed in Washington County jail after failing to post $15,000 bond; his preliminary hearing was initially scheduled to be held before Judge Wilson in Washington County on Oct. 28, court records indicate.