A domestic disturbance call in Liberty Borough on Sunday ended with a crashed car, a taser deployment, and a 28-year-old man facing a stack of felony charges, according to Allegheny County police.
Investigators say the trouble started on the 3300 block of Liberty Way, where officers were called for a domestic incident involving Matthew Bertges. Police report that Bertges took off in a vehicle and later crashed on the 80 block of Calhoun Road. Lincoln Borough officers then found him and tried to make the arrest.
That is when things escalated fast. County police allege Bertges fought with officers, tried to grab an officer’s firearm, and hit one officer in the face with a handcuff wrapped around his fist. Officers used a taser to subdue him. A toxicology screen reportedly showed opiates, marijuana, and alcohol in his system. Bertges was taken to the Allegheny County Jail to await a preliminary arraignment, according to WTAE.
Charges and legal implications
Bertges is now facing several counts that carry significant potential penalties if prosecutors can prove them in court. Disarming a law enforcement officer is specifically defined in Pennsylvania’s criminal code and is graded as a third-degree felony. State law on strangulation also lets prosecutors seek felony charges in certain domestic situations.
The relevant statutes are spelled out in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5104.1 and 18 Pa.C.S. § 2718, which detail how the offenses are defined and graded.
Investigation and next steps
Allegheny County police said their homicide unit was called in to assist after a “known suspect” was taken into custody and flown to an area hospital, though officials have not clarified whether that hospital transport is connected to this case. For now, the department is keeping public details limited while the investigation moves forward.
Court filings and the preliminary arraignment are expected to lay out the precise list of charges prosecutors will pursue. The initial account of the incident came from Allegheny County police and was reported by WTAE.
