Man accused of climbing atop tractor-trailer in New Stanton during high winds, firing trooper's Taser

As heavy winds and rain swept across the region Sunday night, state police were called to investigate a disturbance of a man dancing atop a parked tractor-trailer in New Stanton.

Troopers arrived after 8 p.m. at the Budget in on East Byers Avenue to see a person later identified as Blair James Czitterberg, 38, of Apollo jumping and dancing on the trailer, about 20 feet above the ground, according to court papers.

That day, heavy winds swept through the region, leaving thousands without power because of toppled trees and power lines. Wind gusts of 62 and 63 mph were reported in Washington and Allegheny counties, respectively, according to the National Weather Service.

Troopers reported that they tried for about 15 minutes to talk Czitterberg down from the tractor-trailer. He was screaming incoherently and making threats to harm himself and others, police said.

One trooper climbed onto the roof of the trailer and tackled Czitterberg as he attempted to jump off. During a struggle, the trooper was kicked in the face and used a Taser on Czitterberg, police said. Czitterberg grabbed the device from the trooper and shot it into the trailer, according to court papers.

Two other troopers scaled the tractor-trailer to help.

Czitterberg was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, disarming a law enforcement officer, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and related offenses. He is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $10,000 bond. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A Nov. 25 preliminary hearing is set.

Czitterberg was sentenced in November 2017 to 67 days to one year in jail for resisting arrest in a case filed by Allegheny Township police. A few months later, he was sentenced to an intermediate punishment program and six months of probation in Allegheny County court on a drunken-driving offense, court records show.