SRU student charged with assault, drug possession placed on ARD
A Slippery Rock University student, charged with assaulting a security officer as well as drug possession, was placed in the county Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program in Butler County Court on Wednesday.
Keynon W. Griffiths, 20, of Pittsburgh was placed in the program for 24 months by county Judge Timothy McCune, after being charged with several assault and drug possession counts in January and February.
Griffiths also was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service.
He was charged by Slippery Rock University police with two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after an incident on Jan. 24.
He also was charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, summary harassment, public drunkenness and underage drinking after an incident on Feb. 10.
Pennsylvania State Police said a pair of private security officers at the University Village at Slippery Rock apartment complex initially contacted Griffiths who they suspected was intoxicated, according to court documents.
While escorting him to the security office, police said he allegedly pulled out an object that one of the officers believed was a stun gun device, hit the officer with the object, which turned out to be a large vape pen, and unsuccessfully tried to grab one of the security officer's handguns, police said.
Two troopers eventually had to take the suspect to the ground. Still, police said, he remained “defiant” even after being placed in the back seat of the patrol car.
A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.
