Youngwood man arrested on multiple criminal complaints after confrontation with trooper

A 35-year-old Youngwood man who is accused of physically confronting a state trooper as he was questioned about trespassing outside a New Stanton woman’s apartment Tuesday was arrested on multiple criminal charges, according to court documents.

David W. Rundle was arrested on charges of criminal trespass, possession of drug paraphernalia, public drunkenness and resisting arrest after the 8 p.m. incident on Westmore Avenue in New Stanton.

Trooper Joshua Wiskeman reported in court documents he was patrolling the area when he saw a pedestrian who appeared to be acting aggressively toward the driver of a SUV who was stopped.

When Wiskeman pulled in, Rundle maintained everything was “OK,” while the driver of the SUV claimed Rundle was acting suspiciously outside a female relative’s apartment. The apartment resident told the trooper she had never met Rundle and “he was not permitted to be there.”

When Wiskeman returned to continue to question Rundle, the trooper said Rundle became aggressive toward him “became combative and began walking quickly backwards.”

As the trooper attempted to take Rundle into custody, a brief struggle occurred and Rundle continued to “yell and scream,” Wiskeman wrote in court documents.

After Rundle was handcuffed and placed in custody, Wiskeman reported finding drug paraphernalia in one of Rundle’s pockets. Wiskeman said in court documents that Rundle then admitted being under the influence of methamphetamine and alcohol during the incident.

When Rundle was arraigned Wednesday, authorities discovered Westmoreland County Park Police had filed an unrelated complaint of theft of leased property against him Jan. 3 for failing to return a 2021 Kia Forte he is accused of renting from Budget Rental at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport on June 26.

Park police alleged that when they interviewed Rundle in December about the car that was valued at $23,000, Rundle told them he was in an accident in the vehicle along the Parkway East in Swissvale and it was towed from the scene. Park police said they contacted the towing operator who reported the damaged vehicle was still in its impound lot and they were owed $4,200.

According to online court dockets, Rundle was released from the county prison Wednesday on $5,000 unsecured bond in both cases and ordered to appear at preliminary hearings Jan. 24 on the rental car case and Jan. 26 for the resisting arrest case. He did not have an attorney listed in court dockets.