A Perry County man is accused of punching a trooper in the face and attempting to hit a municipal police officer with a piece of steel rebar during an altercation Sunday at a discount store in Parker Township.

State police said Curtis Benson, 30, of Millerstown also threatened to kill the manager at the Dollar General on Parker Pike.

Benson was taken into custody and he is awaiting arraignment on two felony counts of aggravated assault as well as charges of terroristic threats, four counts of simple assault and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors.

He also is charged with summary criminal mischief.

State police were called to the store around 11:45 a.m. for a report of a belligerent man, who was later identified as the defendant.

According to the investigation, police allege Benson told the manager, a woman, that he was going to kill her. He also swung a piece of metal shelving at her.

Parker City Police Department officer Ted Rougeux arrived, and the suspect picked up a piece of steel rebar and turned toward the officer, investigators said.

“Benson held the piece of rebar up as if he was going to swing it,” according to charging documents, “and began aggressively advancing toward (Rougeux).”

The officer drew his service pistol and ordered the defendant to drop the rebar and get on the ground. Benson allegedly dropped the rebar, but ran from the officer.

Two patrol troopers got to the store to assist. The suspect is accused of punching Trooper Noah Neigh in the nose before he was arrested. Neigh was later taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.

Police said the investigation also subsequently determined that the defendant earlier had broken the windows of a home and garage in the Parker area.