North Huntingdon man charged with assault after police standoff

A 42-year-old North Huntingdon man fired 15-to-20 gunshots inside his house when police arrived Thursday to check on his welfare, leading to a six-hour standoff that ended peacefully, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case.

Two North Huntingdon police officers said a gunshot was fired when they approached the home of Adam Michael Plecenik at 1752 Ivanhoe Drive, at about 1:20 p.m., according to the criminal complaint state police at Greensburg filed against Plecenik. After officers Matt Benick and Aaron Nutter identified themselves, a muzzle flash was seen on the front porch, the complaint stated.

Plecenik was charged by state police with two counts of aggravated assault — attempt to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon — and recklessly endangering another person. Plecenik was arraigned Friday before North Huntingdon District Judge Wayne Gongaware.

Gongaware told Plecenik he is “facing pretty serious charges” and the district judge did not set a bond for Plecenik, who remains in the Westmoreland County Prison.

“I figure I don’t deserve a bond after what I did,” Plecenik told Gongaware, who told the him not to talk about his case without an attorney present. A preliminary was scheduled before Gongaware on Aug. 8.

North Huntingdon police went to the house Thursday after someone called Westmoreland 911 to say someone dressed in a Ghille suit — a camouflage suit worn by snipers —was in the backyard of the Ivanhoe Drive residence and had a .30-06 rifle, according to the complaint.

That man, later identified as Plecenik, told police an unknown man was in his house and “he (Plecenik) was taken hostage,” the complaint stated. No one else was found inside the residence.

The state police special emergency response team, with its armored vehicle, was deployed to scene. The area was cordoned off and nearby residents were evacuated, state police said. Tear gas and flash bang grenades were used to get Plecenik to surrender. By the time he surrendered peacefully to police at 7 p.m., numerous windows in the house were broken, as well as the windows of a sliding glass door.

State police Trooper Steve Limani said Thursday they communicated with Plecenik during the standoff and believed that “a mental health situation” may have been the cause of the incident.

Officers were concerned about the safety of others in the neighborhood because there were numerous weapons inside the house, including the long rifle, Limani said.