MOUNT CARMEL - The Marion Heights man at the center of a four-hour police standoff outside his home Monday night was arraigned Tuesday on five criminal counts.
Stanley J. Rusesky Jr., 45, of 345 Warsaw St., is jailed on $50,000 bail at Northumberland County Prison, Sunbury. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Hugh A. Jones. Mount Carmel Township Patrolman David Tomtishen charged him with simple assault, obstructing law enforcement, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors. He also is charged with summary harassment.
Rusesky allegedly assaulted a woman inside his home about 7:40 p.m. Monday. The victim was screaming Rusesky's address during a 9-1-1 call before the telephone line went dead, according to court records. Dispatchers called back, but the male who answered was not cooperative, saying the fight was at a neighbors' home and that the woman who called for help from his home ran out the back door. He wouldn't provide a name.
According to police, the victim said Rusesky had no history of violence toward her, adding that he is on prescription medication to quit smoking and that he had been behaving erratically over the past two weeks.
Rusesky barricaded himself inside the home. He was known to own firearms. He covered his windows with blankets. Police officers surrounded the perimeter and lights from firefighting apparatus were used to illuminate the scene.
Police Chief Brian Hollenbush called to Rusesky using a megaphone and also a cell phone, but his demands to surrender were repeatedly ignored.
Shortly before midnight, police officers shot two canisters of pepper spray through a first- and second-story window. It forced Rusesky out the back door, where he was confronted by police officers and refused commands to surrender. An initial shot from a Taser was only partially effective. A second shot was used to subdue him, and he was handcuffed and taken into custody.
Assisting Mount Carmel Township police were officers from Mount Carmel, Kulpmont and Ralpho Township. Marion Heights and Atlas fire companies responded, as did AREA Services, Northumberland County Emergency Management Agency and fire police from Mount Carmel and Kulpmont.