Mt. Pleasant man jailed for allegedly hitting borough cop
A Mt. Pleasant man was jailed Friday for allegedly hitting a borough police officer on the shoulder multiple times last month when the officer was arresting him, police said.
Gregory N. Freed, 26, of 114 First St., is accused of hitting Mt. Pleasant Patrolman Timothy Ferree as the officer attempted to place him under arrest at 8 p.m. July 31 near East Main Street and Kennedy Avenue, according to Freed’s arrest papers.
Officers had confronted Freed as they investigated a woman’s complaint that Freed allegedly was violating a protection from abuse order when he entered the woman’s vehicle, sent her text messages and phoned her, according to the arrest documents.
Freed was able to run away from Feree and Patrolman Rex Hunter as they attempted to subdue him, police wrote. Ferree, who said he sustained two cuts on his arm, said Freed eluded their search.
Ferree charged Freed on Aug. 1 with aggravated and simple assault, resisting arrest and violating a protection from abuse order.
Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies found Freed on Friday.
He was arraigned before Norvelt Senior District Judge Roger Eckels. Freed was placed in the Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of a $50,000 bond, pending a preliminary hearing before Eckels on Sept. 5.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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