Police beat Sept. 6
CANONSBURG
Trespassing: Phillip James Thaxton Jr., 45, of Canonsburg, was charged by Canonsburg police Thursday with burglary, criminal trespassing, simple assault and reckless endangerment. According to the criminal complaint, at about 5 a.m. Thursday Thaxton broke into a house in the 200 block of East College Street and threatened a resident with a tire rasp. The alleged victim struck Thaxton with a hammer in self defense, police said. Thaxton was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment. He has not been arraigned.
NORTH STRABANE
Child sexual abuse material: Chris McMurdy, 78, of North Strabane Township, was charged by state police Thursday with child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. According to the criminal complaint, in March police received a tip from Microsoft that a user had uploaded an illicit photograph. The account was traced to McCurdy. In June, investigators served a search warrant at his home in the 300 block of Locust Street. Police found more than 200 files containing child sexual abuse material on McCurdy’s devices, according to the complaint. Charges were issued via summons.