Man arrested after Ligonier standoff

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Apr. 30—LIGONIER, Pa. — A Ligonier Township man was arrested after a domestic call turned into a standoff Sunday, police said.

Police were called to a Terrace Road residence and escorted a woman from the scene who said she was punched several times and strangled until she lost consciousness, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office wrote in a release to media.

Ligonier Valley police were joined by Westmoreland County's Special Emergency Response Team after they were unable to make contact with 47-year-old Thomas Crary from outside his residence, according to the release.

After more than six hours of attempts, including sirens, verbal commands and disorienting flashbang devices, Crary responded to efforts to contact him around midnight, Melanie Jones, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said in the statement to media.

Crary was taken into custody at approximately 1:30 a.m., and faces charges of aggravated assault, strangulation and simple assault.