Man accused of breaking into cars in East Deer charged with assaulting police chief during arrest

An man accused of trying to break into vehicles along Freeport Road in East Deer was charged with a felony after allegedly kicking a police chief in the chest while officers were trying to arrest him.

Jordan Smith, 32, of the 400 block of Freeport Road in East Deer was charged Aug. 29 with a felony count of aggravated assault along with counts of resisting arrest, theft from a motor vehicle, attempted theft from a vehicle, defiant trespass and public drunkenness.

Smith was released on a nonmonetary bond to await a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday before District Judge Carolyn Bengel.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint that officers responded about 1:30 p.m. Aug. 29 to a report of a suspicious man trying to break into vehicles in the 1400 block of Freeport Road. A witness who called 911 said the man also was trying to jump a fence to get onto one of the properties on the block.

Police said Smith showed signs of being drunk and had difficulty telling officers his last name, the complaint said.

When officers tried to handcuff Smith, he resisted and threatened them, the complaint said.

While struggling to get Smith into a patrol car, he began kicking at the vehicle and hit Allegheny Valley Regional police Chief Mike Naviglia in the chest.

Once inside the vehicle, Smith started banging his head against the glass to try to break it, police said.

Witnesses told police they saw Smith trying to break into at least five vehicles and attempting to jump a fence to get into the back of one of the properties.