Bellefonte man charged with fighting with police after early morning incident

A Bellefonte man has been charged with fighting and resisting arrest after multiple units responded to a call early Monday.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Bellefonte police, officers were dispatched at about 1:45 a.m. to the 300 block of Reynolds Avenue. The female caller reportedly stated Dennis L. Hassinger, 47, had been drinking and was refusing to leave the residence.

Officers arrived as Hassinger was coming out the door, police said. As soon as he saw police, he reportedly became “aggressive and began yelling and threatening officers.”

Hassinger challenged officers to a fight, police said, taking off his shirt and saying he was “ready to meet his maker and wanted officers to kill him.” Officers drew stun guns, reportedly prompting Hassinger to shield himself behind a garbage can but continued to challenge officers, saying “if he had a gun he would kill” the officers.

He refused repeated requests to stop yelling and talk to officers, police said, and continued to yell for the next 20 minutes. Eventually, additional units from State College, Ferguson Township, Patton Township and state police departments arrived.

On arrival of the additional units, Hassinger took off running through private property, police said. After cornering Hassinger in a back yard, an officer deployed a stun gun and attempted to take control of him but Hassinger reportedly continued to kick and resist.

A second stun gun deployment allowed officers to gain control of Hassinger, police said. He reportedly continued to yell profanities as he was walked to the patrol car.

The female resident said Hassinger had refused to leave until she called the police and had been throwing things in the residence, police said. She said he had been breaking into her residence and didn’t want to press charges, saying she just wanted him to get help.

Hassinger was arraigned Monday before District Judge Carmine Prestia, according to court documents, and charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, and a summary charge of public drunkenness. Straight monetary bail was set at $25,000 and he was taken to the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 27.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 6:18 PM with the headline "Bellefonte man charged with fighting with police after early morning incident."