New Kensington woman jumps from 2nd-story window to escape assault, police say

A woman in New Kensington jumped out a second-story window, hurting her back, to get away from a man she was fighting with, according to city police.

New Kensington police charged Jerome Michael Dussia Jr., 34, of Haser Drive with simple assault following the Thursday morning incident.

Police said Dussia and the woman both had multiple active warrants for their arrest, and both were taken into custody.

New Kensington police said they confirmed Dussia was wanted on warrants from the Elk County Sheriff and District Attorney, and the DuBois police department. He was charged with drug-related offenses in St. Marys in Elk County and DuBois in Clearfield County, according to court records.

New Kensington police did not detail why the woman was wanted, and filed no charges against her in this incident.

Police went to the Haser Drive address around 11:30 a.m. in response to a neighbor’s report of hearing banging and a person asking for help.

Police said the woman at first told officers she was fine and declined to speak with them about her injured back. It was while being taken to lockup that police said she complained of severe back pain, according to the criminal complaint against Dussia.

According to the complaint, the woman told police she and Dussia had been fighting and she locked herself in a bedroom because she was afraid of him and he had abused her before.

The complaint says Dussia kicked the door and began chipping a hole in the door with a knife to get inside. Afraid of him, the woman popped out a window screen and jumped out.

Police said they found the bedroom door was severely damaged and kicked apart.

The woman told police Dussia ran outside and dragged her back in, which was when police arrived along with East Ken Manor maintenance, who had also been called and were doing a wellness check.

Police said that when Dussia eventually came to the door, he was out of breath and sweating profusely. Police said he told them he was alright and that he was only arguing with his girlfriend.

Police summoned medics to meet them at their station. The woman was taken from there to a hospital for treatment.

Dussia did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Dussia was arraigned before District Judge Frank Pallone Jr. and sent to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $10,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 19.