Thursday, January 4, 2018

Woman Charged for Assaulting Firefighters

A Pottsville woman was jailed after she assaulted city firefighters at an incident.

According to Pottsville Police, on Saturday, 12/23/17 around 4:30pm, Pottsville Police officers were requested by Pottsville Fire Department volunteers to return to the location of a previous fire in the 400 block of S. Claude A Lord Blvd (Route 61) where a small fire had been started inside a dilapidated garage by a homeless male that was taken into custody. The garage is part of a property that runs to Nichols St, and is also parallel to Claude A Lord Blvd. 

Upon arrival, Police found several firefighters wrestling with and trying to control Kate Lynn Blatt, 26, the owner of the property on which the fire had just been controlled by the fire department personnel. 

Blatt was repeatedly being told to stop fighting and then to stop resisting efforts to control her, however she refused to comply with a requests made by fire personnel and police. 

She was advised that the use of taser may be employed should she continue to resist. Despite this and several other commands, Blatt continued her active resistance, not complying, thus requiring substantial force from Police and several firefighters to get her physically secured and under control to a point where she began to be cooperative.

The on-duty Pottsville Fire Duty Chief explained to Police that while fire personnel had been dealing with the fire, Blatt appeared at the location. 

The Fire Duty Chief then explained to Blatt that the garage needed to be secured to prevent further incident since there had been several incidents regarding homeless people starting fires. Upon hearing this Blatt became angry and a verbal argument ensued. Two other firefighters heard the argument and exited the garage. By this time, Blatt had become very angry and threatened to "knock out" the Fire Duty Chief. 

After one of the volunteer firefighters stepped in front of the Duty Chief and told Blatt to cease her behavior and not to assault anyone, Blatt swung a closed fist at him and struck him in the forehead, causing visible injury and bleeding. 

Another volunteer firefighter then intervened in an attempt to prevent any further altercation Blatt also swung at him and struck him causing injury to his face and knocking off his glasses.

The firefighters then began attempts to control Blatt as she continued trying to assault fire personnel with closed fists.

Both volunteer firefighters had to be tended to by Pottsville EMS as a result of Blatt’s attack. 

Once Blatt was physically secured by Police a medical evaluation was provided for her by EMS due to a complaint of shortness of breath. 

She was medically cleared by EMS and removed from the scene.  Pottsville Patrolman Paul Olson completed a criminal complaint charging Blatt with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Resisting Arrest and Disorderly Conduct after which Blatt was arraigned by on-duty Magisterial District Judge Kilker who set bail at $25,000 and Blatt was remanded to the Schuylkill County Prison. 

Blatt has since posted bail and released.