Pa. Chief Stabbed During Response to Domestic Dispute

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- A Jerome man has been charged with stabbing a police chief in the leg and hand with a butcher knife when the chief responded to a domestic incident late Friday afternoon.

Jeremy A. Brehm, of the 300 block of School Road, was being charged by Stonycreek Township police with aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, flight to avoid apprehension and other offenses, said Sgt. David Pollino.

He was to be arraigned late Friday or early today before District Judge Michael Musulin of Johnstown.

Chief David A. Dunkleberger was taken to Memorial Medical Center, where he received about five stitches to his right leg, Pollino said. The chief also may have some broken fingers. A cut on his hand did not require stitches.

The incident took place at the Luxor Apartments in the Belmont area of Stonycreek Township.

Brehm was looking for his former girlfriend, who also is from Jerome, when he narrowed the search down to Luxor Apartments, Pollino said.

Brehm arrived and started to harass the woman with a 12-inch-long knife, Pollino said.

The woman called police and told the responding chief that Brehm was hiding in an upstairs hallway, he said.

When the chief approached the stairway, Brehm became combative and started to fight. The suspect then brandished the knife and ultimately the chief was injured, Pollino said.

Brehm ran from the scene and was apprehended by Johnstown police on Bridge Street in Moxham.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service