Amanda Christman
Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
DRUMS, Pa. — A Drums man was charged Wednesday with assaulting a volunteer firefighter, arrest papers say.
The fireman, who was trying to get to the scene of a Feb. 29 house fire, sustained at least three fractures to his face during encounter in Beech Mountain Lakes, according to court papers.
The fire happened at 189 Debbie Drive just before 7 p.m., and though an attached garage was heavily damaged, the house was saved from the flames and no fire-related injuries were reported.
Scott A. Major, 49, who lives on Debbie Drive, faces a felony for aggravated assault, a misdemeanor for simple assault and a summary count of harassment by Butler Twp. police, who filed the charges against him Wednesday.
Major was released on $20,000 unsecured bail by Magisterial District Judge Daniel O’Donnell, Sugarloaf Twp., Wednesday afternoon.
According to arrest papers:
Police were assisting Valley Regional firefighters on the scene of the fire when an officer heard a woman yell, “Get off of him.”
Just past the fire trucks, the officer saw a group of people separating the Freeland fireman and Major.
The firefighter told police he responded to the neighborhood with his lights and siren activated and, seeing a vehicle blocking his way, pulled off the road.
He approached Major and told him he had to move since more fire trucks were on the way, but Major exited his vehicle and began to argue with him, approaching the fireman aggressively.
The volunteer put his arm up to stop him, but Major punched him in the face and the fireman went to the ground, where he was punched several more times.
A witness told police she saw Major exit his vehicle and throw punches at the first responder and said she jumped on Major’s back in an attempt to stop the assault.
A CAT scan at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton showed three fractures to the fireman’s face and a possible fourth fracture.
Major admitted to throwing the punches and awaits a preliminary hearing.
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