Shawn Polliard

Following his arrest early Wednesday, a Butler Township man allegedly spat at officers while in a holding cell.

Butler Township Police filed charges against Shawn L. Polliard, 51, who a woman accused of grabbing her inappropriately. While in custody at the police station, Polliard had an alleged altercation with officers.

Following his arraignment by District Judge Sue Haggerty, Polliard was placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bond.

Polliard is charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor indecent assault, as well as summary harassment and property damage offenses.

According to charging documents, a woman called police shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday to an apartment on the 100 block of Alameda Road, Butler Township.

The woman told officers she was sleeping on a sofa when Polliard woke her up and started kissing her.

“The (woman) told Polliard to leave her alone,” said the investigating officer in the affidavit.

The woman told officers Polliard grabbed her inappropriately over her clothes. She told police Polliard released her after she asked for a cigarette, and when she went outside to smoke, she called 911.

Police said when they arrived, Polliard was sleeping on the sofa. Police woke him, arrested him and brought him to their station where he was placed in a holding cell.

“Polliard became belligerent and angry and started rattling the cell doors, punched the metal toilet in the cell causing his hand to bleed, and spat on (an officer’s) forehead and right leg (while) walking out of the holding cell area,” police said.

Police said Polliard spat toward another officer and it landed on the floor near the officer’s boots.

In a later news release, police said Polliard suffered a minor cut on his hand that caused the bleeding. He refused medical treatment.

Police said because of Polliard’s actions, blood and saliva needed to be cleaned from the floor and cell, and officers were subjected to his saliva, which could have contained communicable diseases.

“Polliard continued to be disruptive and was calling the officers numerous times to come in and fight him,” police said.

Polliard is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Feb. 3 before District Judge Kevin Flaherty.