On Monday, a man has been sent to the Schuykill County Jail in Kittatinny after causing a disturbance at a farm on the intersection of County Highway K and Cussville Road, Town of Rumphannock.
The man is identified as Robert L. Worthington.
The 57-year-old is facing charges of public intoxication, two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer, trespassing, and reckless use of a deadly weapon.
Deputy Roland J. Smithers Jr. responded to the 911 call and pulled into drive at 3451 E. Cussville Rd. that is located just East of County Highway K.
The property where the incident occurred belong to farmer Clem R. Kadiddlehopper.
The 78-year-old shouted from a second-floor window that a man with a gun was in a field behind the barn.
Smithers Jr. called for backup and his wife; deputy Susan K. Smithers would arrive at the scene.
Deputies took cover inside an open barn door and yelled into the field for Worthington to drop his gun and walk out of the field with his hands up.
He walked out of the field carrying a .22-caliber bolt-action rifle in one hand and a bottle of liquor in the other hand.
Deputies attempted to subdue him after he fell to knees and looked to be crying.
Worthington then tried to grab Susan Smithers by the neck in a choke hold and then attempted to grab Roland Smithers around the neck after being pulled away by him while he tried grab deputy Susan Smithers by the neck.
Worthington would be tazed and be put in handcuffs as well as be put in the back seat of Smithers’ squad car after he was read his rights.
Worthington stated that he was devastated over a possible divorce and over losing his job at Susquehanna Steel Corporation.
Worthington told deputies that he did not intend to hurt anyone and that he was all worked up.
He continued said to them that if he shot up some bottles, he would feel better.
A 2007 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that was parked on the shoulder of Cussville Road is identified as belonging to him.
The Schuylkill County Sheriff Percival F. Quakenbush explained that Roland Smithers is 37 years old and has been in the Sheriff’s department since 2005 and his wife who is 34 years old has been in the department since 2007.
He stated that the county is prohibited from hiring spouses, but the state issued a waiver to help the fulfill the goals of a 1996 law called the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Gender Equity Act.
This encourages the hiring of more women as police officers, state troopers and sheriff’s deputies.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smithers don’t usually work the same shift, and they told me this was the first time they had ever responded to an incident together,” said Sheriff Quakenbush. “I’m just glad they were able to avoid having to use lethal force and that everything worked out OK.”
Worthington is being held overnight pending a bail hearing on Tuesday.
Leave a Reply