Staff writer
An East Washington man was arrested early Sunday after a Washington police officer on patrol saw him kick another man in the head in a parking lot behind a North Main Street bar.
Darnell Steven Russell Brown, 29, of 31 North Ave., was seen by Cpl. Michael Sulerud kicking Nicholas Lesjak twice in the head as Lesjak was on the ground about 2 a.m. in the parking lot of Ernie's Freestyle, in the 10 block of North Main Street.
Sulerud yelled at Brown to stop. When Sulerud tried to push Brown away from the 26-year-old Washington man, Brown struggled with the officer. Sulerud had to use a Taser on Brown, who fell to the ground, where he was handcuffed.
Another man, Chris Patterson, 24, of Washington, was found on the ground unconscious. He reportedly was struck by another man who fled the area.
Lesjak and Patterson both were taken to Washington Hospital and then transferred to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment of head injuries. No information was available on their conditions.
Several people from Ernie's Freestyle and VIP congregated in the lot as police tried to conduct their investigation. Police ordered them to leave.
One of the bystanders, Lindsey Tomsic, 22, of 60 Brookhaven Road, South Franklin Township, was taken into custody by city police. She refused to leave after being told to do so three times. Tomsic was charged with disorderly conduct.
Brown was arraigned via video by District Judge Gary Havelka on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. He was placed in Washington County Jail on $5,000 bond.