SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Police said a man accused of throwing a drink on a woman at a Scott Township restaurant Thursday night tried to punch a responding officer.
Investigators said the incident happened at a Max and Erma’s restaurant.
According to witnesses, Steven Jutca began fighting with a woman in the eatery and threw a drink in her face.
The officer who responded approached Jutca and people inside the restaurant said they watched as Jutca threw a punch at the officer.
“I heard the yelling and when I turned, I saw the hit and (the officer) going down,” witness Kathy Pahler said.
According to the criminal complaint, the officer avoided being punched and tackled Jutca.
“He was telling him to stop resisting,” Pahler said.
During the struggle, the officer injured his ankle, officials said. He was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for his injuries.
A Max and Erma’s employee helped the officer until backup arrived, and Jutca was eventually handcuffed and taken into custody. He was taken to the Allegheny County Jail.
Pahler, who is a former sheriff’s deputy, said she has nothing but praise for the officer.
“The man did his job, and I give him kudos. He stayed on top of him, tried to secure him and let him know what he was doing. The guy just didn’t want to give up,” Pahler said.
Investigators told Channel 11’s Dave Bondy that Jutco was a wanted man because hours before the incident, he had escaped from a halfway house.
WPXI
