Homeless man accused of squatting in New Kensington apartment, assaulting manager
A homeless man is accused of breaking into a New Kensington apartment and then punching the property manager who ordered him to leave.
Bryant Nathaniel Thomas Houston, 38, was charged with a felony count of burglary along with simple assault.
He was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $5,000 cash bond to await a preliminary hearing Thursday, Nov. 30 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr., according to court records.
On Nov. 17, the manager of an apartment building in the 700 block of Fifth Avenue reported to police that he opened the door to find a man inside using a space heater, according to a criminal complaint.
The manager said the man punched him in the head three times when he told him to get out and then fled, the complaint said.
The manager was able to describe the man and the clothes he was wearing, police said.
Houston, who fit the description and was known to officers, was found walking near Constitution Boulevard and Seventh Street and taken into custody, the complaint said.
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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