Man involved in Ross SWAT incident won't face charges
Ross Township police say a man who refused orders to come out of his house Tuesday morning when officers checking on him smelled a strong odor of natural gas will not face criminal charges.
The man, whose name is not being released, was involved in a domestic dispute at the home along Jacks Run Road the night before, according to Ross police Det. Brian Kohlhepp.
The dispute prompted the man’s family members to ask police to conduct a welfare check.
But when officers went to the home shortly after 8 a.m. on July 9, they smelled the gas and called in a SWAT team and fire and EMS crews.
Authorities closed off Jacks Run near the intersection of Connie Drive and spent several hours trying to make contact with the man.
Adjacent homes also were evacuated as a precaution and the utility company was called to the scene to shut off the gas, Kohlhepp said.
The man finally surrendered shortly after noon and the road was reopened.
No additional details are being released about what precipitated the incident.
Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.
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