PROSPECT — A borough man is jailed on charges that he tossed a coffee mug at a state police officer. He also threw a baseball at a police drone, damaging the $10,000 aerial device, police said.

Gerry P. Foster, 61, is facing felony and other charges stemming from a standoff with police last week at his home on Schantz Road.

On Tuesday, District Judge Bill O'Donnell arraigned Foster on charges of prohibited possession of a firearm, attempted aggravated assault and criminal mischief.

Police initially went looking for Foster on Thursday to serve him with a mental health warrant. But before they got to his home that evening, he ran into the woods and made his way to Moraine State Park about three or four miles away.

“We chased him for about four hours,” police Cpl. Michael Lewis said Tuesday. Police eventually called off the search, which lasted from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Friday, authorities said, a family member notified police that Foster was back home. Troopers went there around 11 a.m. Jan. 10 with the same warrant. They tried to get him to come out, knocking on doors and windows.

But not only would he not surrender, police said, he also allegedly hurled a ceramic mug out of a window in back of the house. It almost hit Lewis in the head.

Lewis subsequently saw what looked like a rifle barrel pointed out of the same window, police said. He and the other officers retreated and took up defensive positions.

Police spoke to Foster by telephone, but he allegedly still refused to come out. Members of the state police Special Emergency Response Team were called to assist in serving the warrant.

Multiple drones were deployed, Lewis said, to give police “a lay of the area.”

But as one of the drones was flying at window height, police said, Foster threw a baseball that hit it. The ball broke the device.

Lewis said police are trying to determine the extent of the damage to the drone.

Foster eventually came out following negotiations with police, authorities said. Troopers took him into custody and later searched the house, allegedly finding a .30-06 rifle.

Police noted that because of his criminal record, Foster is prohibited by state law from possessing firearms.

He is being held in the Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bond while awaiting his preliminary hearing Jan. 22 at O'Donnell's office in Slippery Rock. Online court records did not list an attorney for him.

Gerry Foster