CLEARFIELD – An Osceola Mills man will be serving up to 10 years in state prison for assaulting a state trooper.
The trooper was responding to a home in Woodward Township on Sept. 27, 2022 at 8:47 p.m. in response to a theft report when the assault occurred.
“During the investigation, the complainant became argumentative and aggressive and assaulted the trooper,” a police report states.
The physical altercation involved George Suhoney and his four, large dogs.
During sentencing court on Tuesday, District Attorney Ryan Sayers noted that the trooper is doing well and is back to work.
Suhoney’s attorney, Jendi Schwab, asked Judge Paul E. Cherry to give him time credit for attending a drug treatment program, saying he has been doing “fantastic” there. She questioned whether he might backslide if he is sent to state prison.
Cherry responded that regardless of his time at a rehabilitation facility, Suhoney was still going to get a state prison sentence, adding, “I have to protect law enforcement.”
Cherry then sentenced him to 22 months to 10 years in state prison for felony counts of aggravated assault/attempting to cause serious bodily injury to an officer and disarming a law enforcement officer, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest.
According to the affidavit, Suhoney was upset that his wife had entered his residence and removed property, which he wanted to report as stolen.
After the trooper told him it would be a civil matter because it was marital property belonging to both of them, Suhoney reportedly became enraged and threw a large metal carpenter square at the officer, striking him in the chest.
The trooper attempted to take Suhoney into custody, but he resisted and “a physical altercation ensued.”
During the fight, Suhoney struck the trooper in the face with a closed fist causing a laceration above his right eye and injury to his face.
As they struggled on the floor, Suhoney tried to “disarm and/or remove a weapon” from the trooper’s duty belt.
Suhoney’s four dogs also attacked the trooper, “causing serious bodily injury.”
The defendant did not try to stop the dogs but did ask the trooper not to shoot them.
Eventually the trooper was able to take Suhoney into custody.
The injured officer was transported to Penn Highlands Clearfield for treatment of multiple injuries to his legs, arms, face and right ear, requiring plastic surgery, according to the criminal complaint.
