Jeannette woman jailed after allegedly making numerous threatening calls to Westmoreland 911

The Westmoreland County Emergency Operations Center was placed on lockdown late Thursday after a Jeannette woman repeatedly threatened call takers and police over seven hours, according to court papers.

Precious Linda Gantt, 36, called Westmoreland 911 16 times between 3 p.m. Thursday and midnight, sometimes yelling at the call taker and using derogatory language toward police officers, authorities said. Officers took her into custody overnight after she refused to put clothes on and spit at police.

She is being held without bond at the Westmoreland County Prison.

A Westmoreland 911 supervisor reported just before 11 p.m. Thursday receiving an “obnoxious” amount of calls from Gantt, according to court papers. The calls ranged from Gantt claiming she was being harassed at a Jeannette store to threats to harm police officers, dispatchers and their families, authorities said.

The county’s Emergency Operations Center went on lockdown as a result of the threats. Director of Public Safety Bud Mertz said the lockdown didn’t affect dispatchers’ ability to take care of calls.

“It is unusual, but we have a secure facility,” he said.

Gantt also is accused of calling a worker at Taco Bell in Hempfield and threatening her.

Officers converged on Gantt’s South Fifth Street home just after midnight. She answered the door, refused to let police in and took off her clothing, according to court papers. Officers took her into custody inside. At the Jeannette police station, she shredded the clothing officers brought for her to wear and stuffed it in the toilet, causing it to overflow, according to court papers.

Westmoreland 911 dispatchers told police the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported receiving more than 100 phone calls from Gantt threatening an officer. She is charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, resisting arrest and harassment.

Gantt did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 27. She is set for arraignment Monday on charges related to the phone call to Taco Bell.