CLEARFIELD – An Osceola Mills man is accused of assaulting and attempting to disarm a state trooper.
Clinton J. Rosselli, 39, is charged by Clearfield state police with felony aggravated assault and disarming a law enforcement officer, plus related offenses.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a trooper was on patrol Nov. 24 and drove into the parking lot of the Bigler Minit Mart store.
He saw a dark gray Mazda sports utility vehicle with the driver’s side door open. The driver was initially seated with his head down and sunglasses on but exited the vehicle and entered the store.
The trooper pulled in behind the vehicle and checked its registration information, discovering the owner, Rosselli, had warrants out for his arrest.
The trooper waited a few minutes for Rosselli to return to his vehicle, but when he did not, he parked his patrol unit in front of the store and went inside.
He observed Rosselli seated at a Pennsylvania Skills Machine, and as he approached, he called out, “Hey Clinton.” He advised Rosselli of his warrants and that he would be detained.
The trooper ordered Rosselli to put his keys on top of the skills machine. When he grabbed Rosselli’s arm, he started to pull away and a wrestling match allegedly ensued on the floor.
Rosselli also allegedly attempted to take the trooper’s duty weapon, so the trooper let go of Rosselli in order to grab his holster and prevent Rosselli from disarming him.
While Rosselli had the trooper’s head pinned against the floor, a state police sergeant arrived on-scene and observed the altercation inside.
He entered and used “physical force” to remove Rosselli off the trooper, according to the affidavit. Rosselli reportedly continued to resist until the troopers gained control and detained him.
Rosselli is also charged with felony escape, and according to the affidavit of probable cause in that case, he was transported to the Clearfield Penn Highlands for examination of minor injuries.
A trooper traveled by ambulance with Rosselli to maintain custody while another followed in an unmarked police unit. He remained in their custody until they were relieved by other troopers.
Rosselli was uncuffed for a procedure and afterwards, he was moved into the hallway where he jumped off his hospital bed and fled towards the Emergency Room’s exit.
A foot pursuit reportedly ensued and troopers chased Rosselli through the hospital parking lot and up a hill. One of the troopers deployed his taser, striking Rosselli with only one prong.
The trooper then deployed a second taser cartridge, striking Rosselli with both prongs in his upper back area. He dropped to the ground and was taken back into custody.
Rosselli was cuffed and medically cleared by hospital staff, state police said, for transport to Clearfield County Jail where he was incarcerated.
Rosselli is scheduled for preliminary hearings at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 15 during centralized court. He’s being held without bail in the assault case while bail is set at $50,000 monetary in the escape case.