Avonmore man sentenced to prison for attacks on girlfriend, police

An Avonmore man was ordered to serve up to four years in prison in connection with a knife attack inside an Avonmore home last year and an unrelated confrontation with police.

Richard William O’Brien, 47, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated simple assault, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest related to an Aug. 7, 2022, incident in which police claimed he slashed a woman’s hand as he wielded a knife during a violent outburst.

According to court records, O’Brien scuffled with state troopers as they attempted to take him into custody. Police said O’Brien initially resisted attempts to handcuff him but eventually complied. As he was led out of his home, O’Brien appeared to trip while being escorted down steps, shouted vulgarities at officers and spit at a trooper.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott Mears ordered O’Brien to serve two to four years in prison and complete anger management treatment.

In a separate case, O’Brien pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, making terrorist threats and public drunkenness in connection with an incident two days earlier in Avonmore following a dispute with neighbors.

According to court records, O’Brien threatened to shoot and kill Avonmore Police Chief James Shaffer as he attempted to take him into custody.

O’Brien was ordered to serve a concurrent 11½- to 23-month jail sentence in connection with the incident involving the police chief.