Speers man charged in gun incident
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
A Speers man set to begin working as an armed school guard in the Mon Valley is facing allegations he waived a handgun around a service station while drunk two weeks ago.
Charleroi Regional police have charged Val Smith, 41, of 119 Crest Ave. in a summons with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness over the Sept. 7 incident at an Exxon station at 1001 Maple Drive, court records show.
Smith, who had been hired to work as an armed guard in the Charleroi Area School District, is accused of walking into the business about 12:30 a.m. and showing three employees his concealed weapons permit, the affidavit states.
He allegedly instructed them to take down his phone number and call him because he only lives around the corner and would be there before the police could respond to a call.
The employees told police Smith then pulled out a black gun, waived it around and said, “I shoot to kill,” police stated in the affidavit.
The police report was filed before Charleroi ever placed Smith on the schedule to work as an armed school guard, Charleroi Superintendent Brad Ferko said.
Ferko said he couldn’t comment further on the case because it involves personnel.
Smith is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. Oct. 3 for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Larry Hopkins.