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Pennsylvania
A Pennsylvania cop charged with sexual assault told his accuser he didn't 'intentionally rape' her, police say
- Pennsylvania officer Justin Hain is facing several sexual assault charges.
- According to an affidavit, Hain told his accuser he didn’t “intentionally rape” her.
- Police say Hain forcibly pinned the woman to a couch and assaulted her after she got out of the shower.
A Pennsylvania police officer charged with sexually assaulting a woman told her he didn’t “intentionally rape” her, court documents show.
Justin Hain, an officer for the Steelton Burough Police Department in Pennsylvania, was charged with rape on January 11, court documents show.
Court records show that Hain is facing four felony charges and two misdemeanors. He faces felony charges of forcible compulsion, rape by forcible compulsion, and two counts of sexual assault. He faces two misdemeanor charges of indecent assault.
In an affidavit obtained by Penn Live, police said they responded on Wednesday to the home of a woman who said she knew Hain personally.
Police said the woman told them that Hain approached her when she got out of the shower with a “weird grin” and she told him not to touch her.
Hain then pulled the woman’s towel off and pinned her to a couch before sexually assaulted her while she repeatedly told him “no,” the affidavit said, according to Penn Live.
The woman then waited for Hain to go to work before contacting police at a friend’s house, the document said. She called Hain on Wednesday and told him she shouldn’t have to fear being raped in her own home, Penn live reported.
“I’m deeply sorry,” Hain said, according to the affidavit. “I didn’t intentionally rape you.”
When she asked Hain why he continued to have sex with her after she told him to stop, he replied that he knew the woman was “not into it,” Penn Live reported.
“It’s probably one of my deplorables, one of my things,” Hain said, according to the affidavit.
Dauphin County District Attorney Francis Chardo told WHTM, a local ABC affiliate, that Hain worked for the police department for less than two months when he was arrested. Steelton Mayor Ciera Dent told the outlet Hain was suspended from the police department following the charges.
“In any field, there are going to be people who commit grievous offenses,” Chardo said. “When that occurs, we need to take action very, very quickly to ensure that they’re not continuing to carry a gun and carry a badge and potentially abuse their power.”
The Steelton Borough Police Department did not immediately return Business Insider’s request for comment. Court records did not indicate whether Hain was being represented by an attorney.
A judge set Hain’s bail at $50,000, court records showed. Chardo told the WHTM that Hain will be prohibited from contacting the woman while on bail.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website to receive confidential support.
MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A Mifflin County man was arrested Thursday after Pennsylvania State Police say he dumped oil on a vending machine and rubbed raw chicken on the door of a nearby business.
Timothy Peachey, 33, is accused of committing the acts on May 17 on East John Street in McVeytown, according to a state police release.
The oil caused an estimated $10,843 in damages to the vending machine and the items inside of it, troopers said.
Peachey allegedly rubbed raw chicken on the front glass door of McVeytown Market. The reason for these actions is unknown.
Peachey is charged with criminal mischief — a third-degree felony due to the total property damage — as well as a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and a summary offense for scattering rubbish.
He was released on bail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to his court docket.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A Luzerne County legislator introduced a bill this week intended to allow local governments to place a moratorium on data center applications.
Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Luzerne) introduced House Bill 2533 on Wednesday.
“Our municipalities, which decide local land use policies, have struggled to understand the myriad environmental and community impacts of this new industry and to review and revise their zoning ordinances to keep up with the influx of interest from data center developers,” Walsh said in a co-sponsorship memorandum. “I am therefore proposing to give municipalities the option of placing a moratorium on data center applications so that, if they choose, they can revise their ordinances and establish conditional use policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks which they determine protect the community’s interest.”
It is a companion bill, he said, to Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh)’s Senate Bill 1345.
They both would allow an 18-month moratorium on both unapproved and new data center applications.
The two legislators also introduced legislation they say would repeal the state Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption program enacted in 2021, which the legislators say incentivizes data centers to locate in Pennsylvania by exempting computer data center equipment from the Sales and Use Tax when it is sold to, used or consumed in a certified data center by an owner, operator or qualified tenant. This is in the form of House Bill 2532 and Senate Bill 1344 respectively.
“While we all appreciate the technological advances that are driving the development of new data centers, I am certain most Pennsylvanians want a more thoughtful approach to where and under what requirements they can operate and don’t want to subsidize them with tax incentives,” said Coleman. “The bills Rep. Walsh and I partnered on will do just that.”
Data centers have been a hot topic issue across Pennsylvania as communities have rallied to oppose developments, including in Columbia and in the Annville area.
Court records show a man is facing numerous charges after local news outlets reported he was accused of partially demolishing his Pennsylvania home with members of his family still inside.
Erik Pierwsza, 48, is charged with three counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count each of causing a catastrophe and disorderly conduct, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.
According to local media outlet WTAE, Pierwsza allegedly destroyed a portion of his home with an excavator, while his wife and two children were inside. Pierwsza is a resident of Buffalo Township, roughly 30 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
The Buffalo Township Police Department did not immediately return USA TODAY’s request for more information. Court records did not list representation for Pierwsza and noted that he is not currently represented by a public defender.
According to a criminal complaint reported on by WTAE and WPXI, Pierswza had allegedly got into an argument, at which point Pierswza threatened to tear down the house.
He then allegedly climbed into the excavator and began demolishing the home, per the outlets.
According to WPXI, no one was injured.
Pierwsza is being held at Butler County Prison on $10,000 bond, per court documents.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
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