New Kensington police say man evicted from sober home oinked at them, growled at police dog

New Kensington police on Monday arrested a man being thrown out of a recovery home who they said oinked at officers and growled at a police dog.

Police charged Ronald Dominic Festa III, 29, with felony counts of taunting a police animal and contraband, and misdemeanor counts of trespass and possession of a controlled substance.

In a criminal complaint against Festa, police said officers went to a recovery home on Taylor Avenue about 11:15 a.m. for a man who was acting out because he had been told to leave the sober residence after failing a drug test.

Police said, when an officer yelled for Festa from the bottom of the steps, Festa began making an “oink” sound. The officer went upstairs and spoke with Festa, who the complaint said was being disrespectful and sarcastic and began yelling obscenities and insults when another officer arrived.

After Festa failed to collect any belongings to take with him, police said the officers escorted him off the property and warned he would be arrested for trespass if he came back. When Festa got into his vehicle to drive away, an officer asked if he had a license. Festa got out of the car and walked away.

The officer’s marked K-9 vehicle was parked nearby, with the dog inside and the windows down. Police said the dog growled when Festa approached, and Festa waved his arms and began barking at the dog, causing the dog to jump around and bark at him, which police said caused a substantial risk of injury to the dog. Festa walked away out of sight.

Police said Festa came back to the property minutes later, and officers again escorted him away. Police said they arrested Festa when he tried to walk onto the property and sit down.

Police said a stamp bag of suspected drugs, with red ink labeled “Volcanos,” was discovered when Festa’s handcuffs were being removed at the police department.

Festa did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Festa was arraigned before New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. and sent to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $25,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.