Kittanning man's police confrontations lead to 5-year prison sentence
May 13—A Kittanning man will serve up to five years in prison for two incidents last year in Allegheny Township and Vandergrift in which police said he became physical with arresting officers.
Jacob John Zoeller, 27, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, child endangerment and resisting arrest in connection with a Nov. 2 incident at a woman's home in Allegheny Township.
According to court records, police responded to a domestic disturbance call in which Zoeller was accused of assaulting the woman and threatening a 1-year-old child.
Investigators said Zoeller kicked Allegheny Township police Chief Duane Fisher and another officer as they attempted to take him into custody.
Police said the woman had injuries to her face, and finger marks and handprints were found on the child's back.
Additional charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and drug offenses were dismissed as part of a plea bargain.
At the time of the Allegheny Township incident,
Zoeller was free on an unsecured $1,000 bond related to an arrest in January 2020. He was charged with aggravated assault involving police officers in Vandergrift after he was taken into custody in an unrelated matter.
Police said Zoeller was agitated, showed unexpected strength, spoke in tongues and required medical attention. Zoeller became violent as officers attempted to put him in an ambulance for transport to a local hospital.
Two officers suffered minor
injuries during the altercation, police said.
Zoeller pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault in connection with the Vandergrift case.
He was sentenced Wednesday by Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio to serve 21/2 to 5 years in prison.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
