A 51-year-old Ligonier Township man was arrested Saturday, charged with assaulting two women and threatening them with a shotgun.
Wayne J. Deem surrendered to Ligonier Valley Police about 12:45 p.m. Saturday at his home near Wilpen after police were called for a report of an assault involving a weapon.
Officer Jonathan Murphy reported, when police arrived, they were met by the victims who said Deem was inside loading his shotgun in a bedroom.
Police said both victims reported they were threatened and physically assaulted by Deem before he went to retrieve and load a shotgun. Police say Deem also knocked over multiple items of furniture within the house and broke the television with an unknown object prior to their arrival.
Once police got to the scene, Murphy reported officers contacted Deem by telephone, instructing him to walk out of the house and surrender.
“He was taken into custody without incident,,” Murphy said.
Deem is charged with aggravated assault and two counts each of harassment, making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and simple assault.
He was arraigned before District Judge Mark Mansour and ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20 before Ligonier District Judge Denise Thiel.
