Jeannette woman accused of hitting officer in face with mug, trying to grab 2 guns

A Jeannette police officer was hurt Wednesday when a woman who had been lying in the street hit him in the face with a mug, according to court papers.

Amanda L. Harris, 33, tried to grab the guns of two officers during her arrest, according to court papers. She is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bail.

City police said they were called to Scott Avenue at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a report of Harris lying in the street. They were summoned again at 11:20 a.m. after Harris nearly was hit by a car while on the ground in the road. When police got there, she ran into her nearby home, according to court papers.

Twelve minutes later, police returned after it was reported Harris was outside yelling and pointing at neighbors. She refused to go back inside, hit an officer in the face with a mug, causing his face to bleed severely, and tried to grab his pistol, according to court papers.

Officers took her to the ground and said Harris kicked and punched them while grabbing onto a fence and refusing to let go. Police said they used a Taser on her but it had no effect, according to court papers.

After they eventually got her handcuffed, police said Harris bit the hand of another officer and tried to grab his gun. Harris grabbed onto the rim of a patrol car and wedged herself halfway under the vehicle before police were able to get her into the backseat, according to court papers.

She is charged with six counts of aggravated assault and two counts of disarming a law enforcement officer. Harris did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A July 22 preliminary hearing is set.

She was sentenced in 2020 to two years of probation on a receiving stolen property charge filed by North Huntingdon police, according to online court records. She was ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation as part of her probation.