Dunbar woman to stand trial on assault charges
A Dunbar woman will stand trial on charges she allegedly assaulted a state police trooper at a district judge’s office in Dunbar Township in May.
State police Trooper Alec Hamilton said Rosemary C. Thorpe, 49, of 417 First St. was charged before Magisterial District Judge Dwight K. Shaner with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Thorpe waived all charges against her to Fayette County Court Friday during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Jesse Cramer.
Hamilton said the incident occurred around 9 a.m. May 31, when Thorpe got into an altercation with another woman in the waiting area of Shaner’s offices.
Hamilton said Thorpe was at the office for a preliminary hearing in an unrelated matter.
Hamilton said that as the argument escalated, Trooper Nicholas Jordan informed Thorpe that she needed to calm down and warned her that she would be cited for disorderly conduct if she didn’t.
Thorpe then began swearing and screaming at Jordan, who led her outside where she continued to yell at him, Hamilton said.
Hamilton said that when Jordan attempted to arrest Thorpe for disorderly conduct, she attempted to get away from him and then began to swing her purse at him.
Hamilton said that with the assistance of state constable Mark Pasquale, Jordan was eventually able to get Thorpe into custody and placed her in the back of his patrol car, where she began to calm down.
Jordan then opened one of the rear doors of his car and offered Thorpe the opportunity to return to the courtroom for her hearing, but Hamilton said that as he was talking to her she kicked him in the chest.