Connellsville man charged in assault on police
CONNELLSVILLE – A city man was incarcerated after he allegedly struck a state constable several times and struggled with three city police officers and a second state constable as they tried to serve outstanding warrants to him. David James Wassell, 41, of 611 N. Pittsburgh St. is charged with single counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct in connection with the July 18 incident at his residence.
According to the criminal complaint, state constables Albert Younkin and Scott Blocker, accompanied by Connellsville police officers Sgt. Vincent Traynor and corporals John Gallagher and Dan Wissler went to Wassell’s home to serve several traffic warrants issued by Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty and a bench warrant issued by the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas and was permitted entry to the home.
Wassell, said police, was allegedly found hiding in a second floor closet with clothes over him, but refused an order given by Younkin to exit the hiding place.
Officers then attempted to pull him from the closet, but he resisted their attempts to remove him.
Police said they advised Wassell that pepper spray would be used if he persisted, but he continued to thwart their efforts to remove him from the closet.
After the spray was employed, Wassell was taken from the hiding area and began struggling with officers and struck Younkin several times in the groin area.
Wassell was taken into custody and arraigned by Haggerty on the charges. He was incarcerated after failing to post the $25,000 cash bond imposed during the hearing.