Ligonier man charged after domestic dispute ends in police standoff
A Ligonier man was arrested after an hourslong standoff with police that started Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
On Monday, Ligonier Valley police charged Thomas Crary, 47, with aggravated assault, strangulation, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Ligonier Valley police responded to the Terrace Road area about 4:15 p.m. for a reported domestic dispute with injuries,Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Melanie Jones said in a statement.
The victim told police Crary punched her several times in the face, grabbed her and attempted to throw her over a railing from the second floor, Jones said.
The victim indicated the latter incident occurred on the second floor of an interior stairwell, according to Ligonier Valley police Chief Mike Matrunics.
She said she lost consciousness after Crary allegedly strangled her.
Pennsylvania State Police’s Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) responded because of the nature of the incident and Crary’s access to firearms, Jones said. They used flash bangs, sirens and verbal commands over a loud speaker to initiate a response.
“We recognized the potential issue,” Matrunics said. “That’s why we called the state police to assist in this incident.”
About midnight, officers made contact with Crary, Jones said. The hourslong standoff ended at 1:30 a.m., when Crary surrendered.
No gunshots were fired during the incident, Matrunics said.
An officer helped the alleged victim exit the house. Matrunics said she was treated by a crew from Mutual Aid Ambulance Service and was taken to an area hospital.
Eight officers from the Ligonier Valley police force responded, along with others from the nearby Latrobe and Derry police departments, Matrunics said.
Terrace is a private lane shared by multiple homes, Matrunics said. Occupants who were home at one of the other dwellings remained secure in place, he said.
Volunteers from Waterford Fire Department helped keep traffic away from the scene. Firefighters blocked off part of intersecting Gravel Hill Road that is home to fewer than a dozen residences.
Crary was arraigned Monday morning. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 10.
Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com.
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