What started as a strange scene in the lobby of the Adams Township Municipal Building ended with a 49-year-old Mars woman in handcuffs and headed to Butler County Prison, according to county authorities.
Police say Jennifer Lower was in the municipal building on Thursday, repeatedly ringing a bell, acting oddly, and accompanied by a dog. Staff told officers she would not answer basic questions, prompting a call for police to respond.
When officers moved to take Lower into custody, she allegedly resisted. Charging documents state she kicked one officer in the groin and damaged a taser during the struggle. Those details come from paperwork reviewed by ButlerRadio.
Lower is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and defiant trespass. Bail was set at $25,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 15, according to the same outlet.
Where It Happened
The confrontation unfolded inside the Adams Township Municipal Building, listed at 690 Valencia Road in Mars. That address appears on the township's event calendar and on county polling-location information, according to Adams Township.
The building houses township offices and public meeting spaces, and it often doubles as a hub for civic life, which on Thursday apparently included an unwanted disturbance in the lobby.
Booking And Court Dates
After her arrest, Lower was taken to the Butler County Prison, where she remained as the case moves through magisterial court. ButlerRadio reports that her bail was set at $25,000 and that her preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 15.
The county correctional facility is listed at 202 South Washington Street in Butler, according to state facility information published in Pennsylvania's online bulletin.
What The Charges Mean
Under Pennsylvania law, assaulting a law-enforcement officer under certain conditions can elevate a case to aggravated assault, which is a felony-level offense. Defiant trespass covers situations in which a person knowingly remains on or returns to a property after being told to leave or when notice against entry has been given.
The specific definitions and penalty ranges are laid out in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, including Section 2702 on aggravated assault and Section 3503 on criminal trespass, as published by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
