Police arrest man for trespassing at West Hempfield Elementary, find suspected drugs

A Lawrence County man was charged Thursday with trespassing on West Hempfield Elementary property as students were filtering into the building, according to court papers.

District officials say the man had been dropped off at a nearby gas station by Pennsylvania State Police earlier that morning.

Zachery T. Leonard, 30, of New Beaver is charged with criminal trespassing and possession of a controlled substance. School police officers dispatched state police to the school, located along Wendel Road, around 9 a.m., according to a criminal complaint.

Hempfield Area Superintendent Mark Holtzman said state police dealt with Leonard earlier that morning for an incident somewhere else in the community. He said troopers dropped Leonard off at the nearby gas station and convenience store, and he then wandered onto the elementary school grounds.

The principal and school resource officer asked Leonard to leave the property, but he refused, the complaint says. They called state police.

After Leonard was arrested, Holtzman said, the principal and security resource officer surveyed the grounds and came across a suspected bag of drugs.

State police later retrieved the bag, which is suspected to contain crystal meth, according to court papers.

Holtzman said he has no concerns with safety at the school.

“Our SRO is always present,” Holtzman said. “I’m not concerned.”

Leonard was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Joseph DeMarchis. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7.

Leonard is being held in Westmoreland County Prison. Bail was denied.