UPMC Somerset patient jailed for assaulting staff, police say

Patrick Buchnowski, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read
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SOMERSET – A Fayette County man was jailed Saturday, accused of punching, biting and spitting at staff members at UPMC Somerset while he was a patient, authorities said.

Somerset Borough police charged Robert James Savage IV, 19, of Brownsville, with three counts of aggravated assault and two counts each of terroristic threats and simple assault.

According to a complaint affidavit, Savage was a patient in the Behavioral Health Unit when he approached the nurses station asking to listen to music. A staff member told him she could not help him because it was lunch time.

Savage allegedly ripped his shirt off, threatened to throw a chair and began banging his head on the nurses station.

A Condition Support alarm sounded and other staff members responded. Savage allegedly fought with staff and refused to take medication. He allegedly punched staff members and spit blood in the face of one staff member, claiming that he had HIV, the affidavit said.

He allegedly bit the finger of a security officer.

Savage was arraigned by on-call District Judge William Seger, of Windber, and sent to the Somerset County Prison after failing to post $50,000 bond.