Hempfield man charged with assault after he's accused of pointing BB gun at couple

A Hempfield man accused of threatening an area couple with a gun after they arrived at his home to pick up a relative’s belongings was arrested by state troopers this week on multiple assault charges.

Although the weapon turned out to be a BB gun, Tommy Lee Horner, 32, who lives at Country Estates, was arrested on multiple charges including aggravated assault, harassment and simple assault following the 4:30 p.m. Monday incident, according to court documents.

The couple went to Horner’s residence to retrieve clothing for a relative who had moved out and found the clothing outside next to a fire pit, troopers wrote in court papers.

However, as they went to retrieve it, Horner opened a rear door and began yelling profanities, the couple told Trooper Zachary Wolford.

Horner exited a side door and pointed a black handgun towards them, according to court papers.

The handgun turned out to be a black replica 1911 Colt BB gun, Wolford said.

Horner was ordered held in the county prison after failing to post $25,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing April 22.

According to online dockets, in 2019 Horner pleaded guilty to one count of endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault and was sentenced to serve up to 23 months followed by one year probation following his May 27, 2018, arrest by state police.

He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.