Shooting suspect faces more charges
A Washington man already facing charges he shot a convenience store clerk and robbed a pizza deliveryman earlier this year is now accused of assaulting a fellow jail inmate and having a shank he allegedly planned to use to assault another prisoner.
Shayne Coffield, 23, is expected to be arraigned today by video link before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of simple assault, escape, inmate possessing a weapon and institutional vandalism stemming from separate incidents last month at Washington County Jail. The charges were filed by city police Detective Dan Rush.
Coffield reportedly left his cell July 15 in violation of a lockdown restriction and assaulted Robert Murphy, who had been seated at a table with other inmates just outside Coffield’s cell.
Police said Murphy suffered facial fractures, bruises to his face and eyes and swelling of his nose and face.
Two weeks later, during a search of Coffield’s cell, jail officials said they spotted paper stuffed in the mortar in a joint near the ceiling. When the paper was pulled out, jail officials determined that mortar had been removed. A further check of the cell revealed other areas where mortar had been removed from the wall.
Jail officers said they also found a plastic shank, or homemade knife, hidden under a desk in Coffield’s cell. Coffield reportedly told jail officials that he had planned to use it on another inmate who would be testifying against him in upcoming court cases.
Coffield and Christopher Pitzarella, 24, of Washington, and Michael Stienstraw Jr., 27, of Claysville, were arrested by Washington police on charges they robbed the Uni-Mart on East Maiden Street in Washington March 27. Coffield, who was charged with attempted homicide in addition to robbery, is accused of shooting a clerk in the leg.
The three also were arrested by South Strabane police for the robbery of a pizza deliveryman March 9. Coffield and Stienstraw also are accused of robbing the Isaly’s store in Canton Township. All three are awaiting trial in those cases.