New Salem man charged with threatening police
A New Salem man is behind bars after he allegedly threatened police at a Greene County hospital, where he was taken by Masontown Police for a mental health commitment.
Jamen Colter Matthews, 22, was charged with false alarm, communications with 911, two counts of disorderly conduct and three counts of resisting arrest.
A Masontown officer took Matthews into custody Wednesday, after he allegedly resisted arrest. Police took him to Washington Health System Greene, and called state police for backup. When they arrived, Matthews was “extremely irate” and causing a disturbance in the emergency room, state police said.
Matthews allegedly threatened to burn down Masontown Police Chief R. Scott Miller’s house and allegedly threatened troopers, telling them to take their badges off. As state police were preparing charges, Matthews allegedly told troopers he would burn their houses down with their families inside and said he would find where they lived and find them off duty to fight them, according to state police.
He was arraigned before Greene County Magisterial District Judge David Curt Balint, who set bail at $15,000. Matthews was unable to post bail.