Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Dec. 27:
Somerset County man accused of assaulting pregnant woman
A Somerset County man was placed in the county jail on Christmas Eve, charged with assaulting a pregnant woman.
The Dec. 19 incident began with a verbal altercation in Brothersvalley Township, according to Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar. She said Andrew Ashurst, 25, of Berlin is accused of pushing the woman into a toilet, causing her to hit her head, and then striking her in the appendix area.
He also is accused of pulling her around the house by her hair, slapping and striking her in the face with a cell phone and refusing to allow her to call emergency services when she started to go into labor.
State police, who filed the charges, said they observed bruising on the woman’s back, arms, eye, cheek and forehead.
Ashurst is charged with aggravated assault of an unborn child, aggravated and simple assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint and harassment.
He was placed in jail after failing to post $50,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 7.
Dog found in Washington County porta-potty
Police in California Borough announced Wednesday they’re looking for the owner of a dog found in the town’s Rotary Park.
Police told TribLive news partner WTAE the dog was found in a port-a-john and was brought to the borough building.
Anyone with information about the dog’s owner was asked to call 911 and ask to speak with a borough police officer.
2 ex-employees charged in burglary at Fayette County sandwich shop
Two former employees have been charged with burglarizing a Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop in Fayette County.
Terrell Watson, 25, of Uniontown and Wesley Haynes, 24, of Elco are accused of taking more than $6,300 from the safe in the shop on West Main Street in North Union Township, state police said.
The shop’s manager reported the burglary happened when the store was entered at 12:04 a.m. on Nov. 4, according to police.
