Hempfield man tried to take trooper's Taser, police say

A Hempfield man grabbed at a state trooper’s Taser and tried reaching for a knife after police were called to a domestic situation Saturday at his home, according to court papers.

Anthony T. Aliberti, 51, was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on charges of aggravated assault, disarming a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and flight to avoid apprehension.

Police were called to Wood Duck Drive around 5:30 p.m. and a trooper found Aliberti in a bedroom and tried to take him into custody. He was wanted by authorities in Chester County in a terroristic threats case.

Aliberti claimed he needed to take insulin and injected himself with a needle, despite the trooper telling him to drop it, according to court papers.

The trooper grabbed the suspect in an effort to take him into custody, but police said a fight ensued. Aliberti unsuccessfully tried to grab the trooper’s Taser, according to court papers. During the altercation, the trooper said he spotted a kitchen knife in Aliberti’s back pocket and threw it across the room as Aliberti reached for it.

Additional troopers arrived and handcuffed the suspect, police said. His bail was set at $10,000. Aliberti did not have an attorney listed in online court records. An Aug. 2 preliminary hearing is set.

The Chester County case was filed in connection with a Jan. 26 incident. Aliberti is charged with terroristic threats, harassment and stalking in that case. He was declared a fugitive earlier this month.