Westmoreland County Prison inmate accused of breaking fellow prisoner's jaw during assault

A South Carolina man charged with attempting to kill a sheriff’s deputy there was arrested Wednesday on assault charges in connection with a beating at the Westmoreland County Prison this month.

Brian Joseph Stoltie is accused of attacking another inmate, who suffered several facial fractures and had his jaw wired shut, county detectives said. Stoltie, 40, of Greenville, S.C., is charged with aggravated and simple assault.

Investigators said Stoltie told his cellmate on Oct. 8 that they were going to fight. As the other prisoner walked to the gym, Stoltie followed him and was seen on surveillance video punching the man, who fell to the ground.

Police said Stoltie was seen in the video kicking the man in the head and face before leaving.

The inmate was taken to Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital and diagnosed with fractures of the skull, jaw, nose and sinus, according to court papers.

Stoltie is being held on $100,000 bond in the case. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 4. Stoltie did not have an attorney listed in the new case.

He has been held in the Hempfield jail without bond since late April after being captured by state police on theft charges. He is accused of stealing utility trailers, lawn mowers and an ATV from locations in South Huntingdon, East Huntingdon and Hempfield and fleeing from a police interview. He also is accused of failing to update his Megan’s Law registration.

Trials are tentatively scheduled for November in those cases, according to online court records.

Stoltie is awaiting extradition to South Carolina, where he is facing attempted homicide charges in connection with a police shootout. According to media accounts, Stoltie was wounded during the April 2019 shootout with South Carolina police, who attempted to make an arrest following an alleged carjacking. Stoltie and another man fled the vehicle and, during a foot chase, shot at police, according to the news report.

A Westmoreland County judge ruled in June that the cases here will be disposed of before Stoltie is returned to South Carolina.