A civilian is credited with using a Ross police detective’s radio to call for help when the detective was in a fight with a man he was trying to arrest Tuesday, according to court filings.
According to a criminal complaint, the incident began as a fight between two men around 11:30 a.m. at Center and Columbia avenues in West View.
In the complaint, police say that Joshua Tyler Pratt, 23, of West View began repeatedly hitting another man in the face when the man, who scraps metal, asked Pratt if he had any cans that he would be willing to give him.
Ross police Detective Michael Orsino arrived and tried to arrest Pratt, and a fight ensued between Pratt and Orsino, the complaint states.
Witnesses told police that Orsino took Pratt to the ground but was unable to use his radio.
That was when a civilian, who was not identified, got on the radio and called for more officers to help Orsino, according to the complaint.
A West View sergeant and an officer arrived to find Orsino on the ground struggling with Pratt, the complaint states. As Pratt continued to resist being handcuffed, the sergeant placed a Taser in the small of Pratt’s back and told Pratt he would be tased if he did not stop resisting.
Pratt then complied and was taken off of Orsino.
Orsino had scrapes to his left elbow and some groin pain, the complaint states. He drove himself to a hospital to be checked for any other injuries.
Pratt is charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of simple assault and resisting arrest.
Pratt was arraigned before District Judge Richard Opiela on Tuesday and released on an unsecured bail of $20,000. His preliminary hearing before Opiela is scheduled for April 29.