Ligonier Valley police this week responded to a domestic disturbance in Ligonier Township only to find themselves involved in a struggle with the property owner, who they subdued with a Taser.
Michael Podboreski II, 62, ordered officers off of his Autumn Leaves Road property, according to court documents.
“Get the (expletive) out of here unless you have a warrant,” Podboreski yelled, according to an account by Officer Daniel Dorazio.
Police arrived at the residence around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after someone called 911 to report a domestic assault, Dorazio reported. Although dispatchers told police that no one was talking on the other end of the call from the victim’s cell phone, “(dispatchers) could hear fighting in the background.”
Dorazio said Podboreski ignored numerous commands to sit on the ground and surrender. Police allege Podboreski charged toward the officer, resulting in an altercation.
When police Chief John Berger arrived, he saw Dorazio and Podboreski both on the ground, court documents said. Berger reported Podboreski continued to refuse numerous requests to surrender and had to be Tasered to be handcuffed.
Court documents said that Podboreski continued resisting arrest when officers tried to put him in the police cruiser and “he kicked Berger in the chest, knocking him backwards.” However, police were able to close the cruiser door and transport him to the police station to be processed.
A woman told police she called 911 for help but Podboreski grabbed her phone and began to assault her, throwing her on the deck of the house.
Police reported they saw bruises on her chest and neck.
Podboreski is charged with aggravated assault on police officers, harassment, simple assault and resisting arrest. He was arraigned before District Judge Charles Christner and ordered held in the county jail on $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Oct. 25 before Ligonier District Judge Denise Thiel.
