CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A man accused of trespassing then spitting in an officer’s face as the officer was attempting to remove him from the property entered a guilty plea in court on Wednesday.
Aaron La’Ron Smith, 24, of Pittsburgh, entered a guilty plea on one second-degree misdemeanor count of resisting arrest on Wednesday, September 22.
As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:
– Aggravated Assault — Attempts to Cause or Causes Bodily Injury to Designated Individuals, Felony 2 (three counts)
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (three counts)
– Institutional Vandalism, Misdemeanor 2
– Disorder Conduct Hazardous/Physical Offense, Misdemeanor 3
– Defiant Trespass Actual Communication To, Misdemeanor 3
– Harassment — Course of Conduct W/No Legitimate Purpose, Summary (two counts)
– Criminal Mischief-Tamper With Property, Summary
Sentencing for the case is scheduled for October 20.
Smith currently remains lodged in the Clarion County Jail on $100,000.00 monetary bail.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Monday, June 28, at a residence on South Sheridan Road in Clarion Borough.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, Clarion Borough Police were dispatched to a residence on South Sheridan Road around 3:59 p.m. on Monday, June 28, for a report of a man refusing to leave the property.
The officers then met with a known female victim who reported that Aaron Smith was told to leave the property but had refused. The victim also told police that Smith had spit at her and another employee of the residence before the officers arrived.
According to the complaint, when police approached Smith, he immediately became confrontational. He then went upstairs and gathered up some items before coming back down to the kitchen area and sat down on a chair. The officers then advised Smith that he was not permitted to stay at the residence.
Smith then reportedly spat on one of the officer’s shoes. He was then advised to stop spitting toward the officer or he would be arrested for aggravated assault. Smith reportedly replied that he didn’t care because he had nowhere else to go, according to the complaint.
Smith then stood up, spat on the officer’s shoe and pants, and then put his hands behind his back. He was then placed in handcuffs and advised he was under arrest, the complaint indicates.
While the officers were escorting Smith out of the residence, Smith reportedly turned and spat directly into one of the officer’s faces, hitting the officer on the left cheek and eye. He also reportedly spat at the officer’s face again as he was being placed in a police vehicle. A spit mask was then placed on Smith’s face, according to the complaint.
When they reached the Clarion Borough Police station, Smith refused to exit the vehicle and told the officers they would “have to get rough” with him. One of the officers then took him by his left arm and he then exited the vehicle, the complaint states.
Smith then reportedly attempted to head-butt one of the officers and struck the officer in the left shoulder with his head. Once he was placed in a holding cell, he also reportedly removed his spit mask and continued to spit on the walls and floor of the Clarion Borough Police Department, according to the complaint.
The complaint notes that police had been dispatched to the same residence earlier the same day for a report of Smith dumping tomato soup on a neighbor’s vehicle.
Smith was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill at 6:30 p.m. on June 28.
