A Unity man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to threatening the life of a personal care home worker last year.
Ryan D. Hoover, 35, told a Westmoreland County judge he was under the influence of drugs when he barged into the Kelly’s II Personal Care home in Unity last Sept. 25 and attempted to force a female employee to perform a sex act before he fled scene.
“It was a messed up situation and I was messed up on drugs. I’m trying to do the right thing,” Hoover said as he pleaded guilty to a felony count of criminal trespassing and a misdemeanor charge of making a terroristic threat.
Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger sentenced Hoover to serve five years on probation, a term that also includes two months of house arrest. Two felony counts of burglary and a misdemeanor charge of loitering and prowling at night were dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Police said Hoover broke into the home shortly after 2 a.m. and approached the facility’s lone on-duty employee and made the threat. According to court records, the victim said she was required to keep the facility’s front door unlocked to allow emergency responders enter the home if needed.
She told police she heard footsteps as she sat in the living room and initially believed one of the home’s elderly residents had gotten out of bed. She said Hoover suddenly approached her, demanded she perform a sex act and threatened her life before fleeing after she said she would retrieve a gun from her parked vehicle.
During a search, police found a vehicle parked near the care home and later identified Hoover as its owner through online sale records. The victim was shown a picture of Hoover and she identified him as the man who approached her in the home, according to court records.
