Hempfield man jailed after police say he disrupted a funeral, broke window at congressman's office

A Hempfield man who was the target of a search a month ago for allegedly desecrating and stealing a Pennsylvania state flag was jailed Thursday, accused of setting off a fire alarm at a funeral, damaging a statue and breaking a window at a congressman’s local office.

Roger C. Strautmann, 33, also is charged with aggravated assault after fighting and threatening two state police troopers as they took him into custody while walking along Pellis Road in Hempfield, Cpl. Timothy Culler wrote in court papers.

Police were dispatched just after noon Thursday to Our Lady of Grace Parish on Mt. Pleasant Road to investigate a complaint from church officials that a man “wearing orange shorts” was disrupting a funeral service by pulling a fire alarm in the lobby.

Church officials told troopers that Strautmann entered the building where the service was taking place and “moments later” the alarm was set off.

One church official told Trooper Jonathan Sutton that Strautmann signed the prayer book and removed several bottles of holy water from the lobby that he discarded outside as he left the church as firefighters arrived. Sutton also reported that church officials said he damaged a small Jesus statue outside and two planters.

The Rev. Dan Blout, the church pastor, on Friday downplayed the incident.

“Fortunately, the alarm went off after the funeral service had concluded and people were departing. If it would have been during the service, causing an interruption, it would have been much worse,” Blout said.

Damage to an outdoor Jesus statue and planter was “relatively minor,” Blout said. He added that he was impressed by the fast response of firefighters and state police to the emergency calls.

After Strautmann left the church property, troopers allege he walked about a half mile on Pellis Road to U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s office, where he is accused of throwing a brick through a window. No injuries were reported.

No staffers were at the office Friday morning, but the window was boarded up from the damage.

In a statement issued later Friday, Reschenthaler expressed relief that no one was injured in the incident and expressed thanks to state troopers for quickly responding and taking the suspect into custody.

“As a former district judge and Navy officer, I know firsthand that our nation’s first responders serve on the front lines every day to protect our families and communities, and I am grateful for their service,” Reschenthaler said.

“I am tremendously proud of my staff for the bravery they exhibited throughout this terrible ordeal,” he said. “I know their strength and quick actions played an important role in bringing yesterday’s incident to an end.”

After taking the incident report from Our Lady of Grace officials, Culler said Troopers Kyle Nolan and Zachary Wolford spotted Strautmann walking on Pellis Road back in the direction of the church.

When Strautmann saw the troopers pull over and exit their vehicles, Culler said Nolan saw Strautmann remove his jacket and swear at police.

“(Strautmann) began walking toward Trooper Wolford in an aggressive manner,” Culler wrote.

Culler said that Wolford grabbed Strautmann in an attempt to place him into custody, but Strautmann resisted causing Wolford to fall to the ground. When Nolan attempted to assist, Culler reported that Strautmann punched Nolan in the face and continued to be combative until the troopers forced him to the ground.

A Taser was fired into Strautmann’s back and he surrendered, Culler said.

Strautmann was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault on an officer, criminal trespass, desecration of a public monument, institutional vandalism at a place of worship, making a false alarm, resisting arrest, simple assault, making terroristic threats and institutional vandalism at a government office.

Judge Jason Buczak set bond at $200,000. Strautmann remains in the county jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled April 29.

Strautmann has a hearing scheduled May 20 for ripping a Pennsylvania flag off a pole at a Sheetz convenience store off Route 30 near Westmoreland Mall on March 25.

The flag was flying at half-staff in honor of two troopers who were killed in the line of duty last month.

According to police, Strautmann was identified and arrested six days after the alleged theft and told troopers he was angry he had yet to receive his tax refund check.

A motive for Thursday’s incident was not included in police reports.

He is accused of misdemeanor charges of theft, maliciously taking down a flag and defacing a flag and a summary criminal mischief in the earlier case.