State police make heroin bust near its barracks
A passenger, who police said fled a traffic stop near the state police barracks in Washington, was chased down by a trooper, held at gunpoint until backup arrived Thursday night and then taken into custody on a heroin charge.
Police said a trooper was questioning the driver, Shiann Huseman of Bentleyville, when the passenger door opened and William J. Noppe of Greensburg got out of the vehicle and starting walking away, court records show.
Noppe, 29, then began to run from the 8:30 p.m. traffic stop on Murtland Avenue down nearby stairs, refusing police commands to return to Huseman’s vehicle. Police were involved in a brief chase and struggle with Noppe before he was taken into custody with force, the affidavit supporting the case indicates.
The trooper initially attempted to stop Huseman’s vehicle across the street from the police barracks at 83 Murtland. Huseman, 23, brought her vehicle to a stop a short distance away at Murtland and North Avenue.
A check of her vehicle registration indicated she was wanted on a Washington County bench warrant on charges of conspiracy and receiving stolen property filed by East Washington police, who accused her and another woman of stealing a television and video gaming equipment in September from a residence on North Avenue.
Huseman was placed in Washington County jail in that case on $25,000 bond.
Police accused Noppe, of 523 Alexander St., of possessing 14 stamp bags of heroin, 20 empty stamp bags, four unidentified pills and three used syringes. He also was wanted in three Pennsylvania counties on drug charges.
He was charged Thursday with drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, escape, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was placed in Washington County jail on $60,000 bond set by District Judge Joshua Kanalis.