A Millvale teen is accused of assaulting a man who came to the defense of a Sheetz employee in Ross.
Ross police filed charges May 14 against Zachary Ruhle, 19, for the incident that happened April 18 at the convenience store at 3025 Babcock Blvd.
Ross officers responded to the fight at the store shortly after 3 a.m. Ruhle and a second suspect, a juvenile not identified in Ruhle’s criminal complaint, had left.
According to the complaint, the victim had visible injuries including a bloody lip and nose.
The man told police that two teenagers were harassing a Sheetz worker and he told them to stop.
The man said the teens chased him outside and started to physically assault him. One of the teens, later identified as Ruhle, went to his vehicle parked at a pump, leading the man to believe Ruhle went to get a weapon as he came back with his hand in his pocket, the complaint states.
The complaint does not mention Ruhle having, displaying or using a weapon during the incident.
Police said video from Sheetz shows the man first running out of the store and then trying to go in through a side door. Ruhle chases him to the door and punches the man in the face, knocking him to the ground, according to the complaint.
Ruhle continues to punch the man in the head as the juvenile runs over and also starts punching the man while he is on the ground, according to the complaint.
After the man got up and tried again to go inside the store, the juvenile pushed the door shut, wrapped his arms around the man from behind and pulled him away from the door, the complaint states. Ruhle wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, putting him in a headlock, and then wrapped his legs around the man, holding him down while the juvenile continued to punch and kick him, according to the complaint.
Ruhle held the man in a headlock for about 30 seconds, the complaint states.
The man told police that the pair went to their vehicle and left before police arrived. The man told police he thought he was going to die, according to the complaint.
Officers found Ruhle while looking for his vehicle. According to the complaint, Ruhle admitted to the assault and gave police the name of the juvenile who was with him.
Ross police charged Ruhle with a felony count of aggravated assault, misdemeanor counts of unlawful restraint, corruption of minors, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and false imprisonment, and a summary count of disorderly conduct.
Ruhle did not have an attorney listed in court records.
Court records did not indicate any arraignment or bond information for Ruhle. A preliminary hearing before District Judge Richard G. Opiela is scheduled for July 22.