Police say Kiski Township officer assaulted by DUI suspect who couldn't get ride home from station

A man who couldn’t get a ride home after being accused of DUI was charged with assaulting a Kiski Township police officer who was taking him to the Armstrong County Jail to spend the night.

Mark Slagle, 45, of the 1100 block of Puriton Avenue in Unity, was charged with a felony count of aggravated assault, along with driving under the influence, careless driving, driving with a suspended registration and failing to keep in his lane.

Police wrote in Slagle’s arrest papers that an officer was dispatched to Route 56 in the township’s Spring Church section about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5 for a report of an erratic driver who was going too slow and swerving into oncoming traffic.

The officer said Slagle’s pickup nearly collided with his cruiser before he was able to pull him over in the 100 block of Spring Drive.

Slagle agreed to take a field sobriety test after the officer smelled alcohol. He said Slagle had bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred, according to a criminal complaint.

The officer stopped the test because Slagle couldn’t keep his balance or walk a straight line, the complaint said.

A field breath test was positive for alcohol, but Slagle declined to allow blood to be drawn to determine the level of alcohol in his system, police said.

Authorities were prepared to release Slagle from custody that night but said he was unable to reach someone to drive him home to Latrobe, the complaint said.

Police said they had to explain to Slagle several times that night why he was in custody, and he cursed at officers and threatened to file a lawsuit against them.

When officers decided to take Slagle to Armstrong County Jail for the night, he pulled his cellphone out and began filming police, who warned him recording is not permitted inside the station, the complaint said.

Slagle kicked a police sergeant in the leg when he tried to confiscate the phone before Slagle was taken to the county jail, according to the complaint.

Slagle was being detained in the jail in lieu of a $15,000 cash bond, according to court records.

On Wednesday, he waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge James Andring, who ordered Slagle to stand trial in Armstrong County Common Pleas Court.