A North Huntingdon man charged with burglary allegedly fought, coughed and spit on two state troopers, claiming he had coronavirus.
Joseph R. Good Jr., 35, of Westmoreland City, was jailed Tuesday on multiple other criminal charges including aggravated assault and risking a catastrophe.
State police charged Good with burglary, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property in connection with the alleged theft of a 75-inch television, plus escape, institutional vandalism, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest for the fight with Troopers Donald Ament and Michael Burkholder.
Good was ordered held in the county jail on $55,000 bond.
Burkholder reported in court documents that police received information from a resident in the 400 block of Wendel Road in Hempfield that he believed Good had broken into his home late Monday and stolen his television.
When Ament and Burkholder went to Good’s residence on Buckeye Street to question him, Burkholder said Good admitted stealing the television. He strapped “it to his vehicle and sold it to a friend in Jeannette for $150.”
When the troopers arrested him, “Good related he had coronavirus and started coughing saying, ‘Now, you’re all going to get it,’ ” Burkholder reported.
As Good was placed in a patrol car, Burkholder said Good continued to resist arrest by unbuckling his seat belt, attempting to kick the rear window out of the car and “head butt” the glass shield protecting Ament.
As troopers put Good in leg restraints, Burkholder said Good “began spitting on” them and attempted to bite Ament.
When they arrived at the Troop A station in Greensburg, Burkholder alleges that Good continued to threaten both troopers.
“(Good) stated to Ament, ‘Take these cuffs off and I’ll beat your (expletive).’ I’m friends with Pagans … and when I get out, I will find out where you live,’ ” Burkholder quoted Good as saying.
Due to his actions, state troopers placed a protective mask on Good when he was delivered to jail.
A handcuffed and shackled Good was photographed wearing the protective mask as he was processed at the Hempfield lockup. Warden John Walton said Good will be in 14-day quarantine, which is “standard procedure” for new inmates as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
On April 8, North Huntingdon Police allege in court documents that Good attempted to pull the same ruse on officers when he was picked up on arrest warrants for simple assaulting and giving false identification to an officer.
Officer Todd Cappetta alleges that when he was arrested hiding in the rear of a sport utility vehicle near his house, “he complained that he had a fever and said he was having trouble breathing.”
Rescue 8 was called and he was transported to Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville for evaluation and tested for coronavirus. Police said when hospital officials released him back into police custody, he attempted to slip his handcuffs and escape.
On the way back to the station, Cappetta said Good stopped coughing and “did not show any signs of illness.”
Cappetta said that Good admitted to officers he was hoping “to run once he was let out of handcuffs at the hospital.”
Good is charged with attempted escape and resisting arrest in the April 8 incident.
