Woman Accused of Assaulting on Pa. Troopers

Aug. 12, 2014
A woman was jailed and charged with felony aggravated assault for reportedly spitting on and kicking two Pennsylvania State Police troopers who were arresting her.

TROY, Pa. -- A 22-year-old Gillett woman was jailed in lieu of $95,000 bail and charged with felony aggravated assault for reportedly spitting on and kicking two Pennsylvania State Police troopers who were arresting her for another incident Aug. 8 on Roaring Run Road in South Creek Township, according to court papers filed with the office of Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox of Troy.

The papers note that Brittany Lynn Heverly of Berwick Turnpike, Gillett, is charged with a total of eight second-degree felony counts of aggravated assault; two second-degree misdemeanor counts of simple assault; resisting arrest or other law enforcement, a misdemeanor of the second degree; two counts of summary harassment; and summary criminal mischief. Heverly was placed in the Bradford County Correctional Facility after she was arraigned Aug. 9, and faces a preliminary hearing before Wilcox at 1 p.m. Aug. 27.

In an affidavit, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Keith Roman wrote that he was dispatched at approximately 8:55 p.m. Aug. 8 to an address on Roaring Run Road, South Creek Township, for a report of a dispute.

Roman was told at the scene that Heverly became involved in a physical altercation with Holly Jean Wolfgram, no age or address given, when she flicked a cigarette butt at Wolfgram and then "got in her face and started to punch and strike her." Also, Roman was told that Heverly grabbed Wolfgram's hair and pulled a chunk of hair out of her head. A person then pulled Heverly off of Wolfgram, and Heverly "got in her face and ended up head butting her in the forehead," the affidavit notes. Roman noticed a red mark on the victim.

Roman said he spoke with Heverly inside at approximately 10:10 p.m. She said there was an altercation, but denied any physical contact. Then, Roman told her to stand up and told her she was going to be arrested for simple assault. He said she was placed into police custody, and became extremely combative toward him and Trooper Michael J. Tribendis Jr. While handcuffed, she pushed her face close to Tribendis' face, and was escorted out of the residence and over to the patrol vehicle.

Then, Tribendis sat in the rear of the vehicle, with Heverly. When he sat down, Heverly was "being insulting, combative, and extremely uncooperative and then, without warning, spit in Trooper Tribendis' face and in his mouth," the affidavit notes. A spit hood was placed on Heverly, and Roman and Tribendis switched places. During the transport on Roaring Run Road, Heverly, without warning, spit through the spit mask and onto Roman's face and in his mouth. She also picked up her legs and started to kick the center plexi-glass protecting the weapon racks, and kicked Roman in the legs several times.

Then, Tribendis pulled the patrol vehicle over on Route 14, at the Fassett Baptist Church. Heverly was removed from the patrol vehicle to get a better restraint on her. A patrol vehicle with a security screen, or cage car, was also requested. Police said Heverly was a threat to both herself and the troopers. Heverly, who kept pulling the spit mask off and spitting on troopers, was moved to the front of the patrol vehicle to get a better control of her and stop her. While Tribendis was holding her, Heverly, without warning, swung her head back, striking Tribendis in the mouth area, with the back of her head, the affidavit notes. Then, she kicked her legs up and struck him in his legs and tried to grab his wrists with her fingers in a clawing motion.

In addition, Heverly once "cocked" her legs back and struck Roman in the chest with a full-force kick, the affidavit notes. A patrol vehicle with a security screen arrived and Heverly was transferred to the patrol vehicle. While at the state police at Towanda barracks, Heverly was still insulting and combative and was not fingerprinted or photographed, the affidavit notes.

Troopers Roman and Tribendis went to Memorial Hospital in Towanda for treatment.

Copyright 2014 - The Daily Review, Towanda, Pa.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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