A state trooper responding to an assault complaint charged a Fawn Township man with illegal possession of a firearm after, police said, they found him sitting in a vehicle at a park-and-ride lot with three loaded guns.

Zachary John Cervice, 50, of the 3900 block of Ridge Road was charged with felony counts of carrying a firearm without a license and having a gun in his possession, along with counts of simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and carrying a loaded weapon.

Cervice is forbidden from possessing a gun because he pleaded guilty in April 2001 to four counts of aggravated assault and a count of criminal trespass, all of which are felonies, court records show.

Cervice was released from the Allegheny County Jail a day after his arrest May 17 when his mother posted a $100 bond, which is 10% of the $1,000 bond set at his arraignment, according to court records.

He faces a preliminary hearing today before District Judge Carolyn Bengel.

A state trooper wrote in a criminal complaint that a woman reported she was driving home with Cervice from a night out drinking when he became angry and began punching her in the head and face.

The woman told police she was able to get out of the vehicle when Cervice stopped. She said he had a gun.

The trooper noted in Cervice’s arrest papers that the woman had bruises on her cheek.

Police said they called Cervice’s mother to try to locate him, and she informed them he was just at the house and was “very angry,” the complaint said.

She told police Cervice left carrying a long gun. She advised them not to come to her house because she feared he might be hiding nearby so he could ambush officers, according to the complaint.

Police said they found Cervice in his vehicle at the park-and-ride lot near the Route 28 ramp to Tarentum. They said he was carrying a loaded derringer pistol and had two loaded long guns on the passenger seat.

According to his arrest papers, Cervice told police that, while returning home from drinking at a bar, he got into an argument with the woman and pulled into the park-and-ride lot to order her out of the vehicle.

Cervice told police he drove home but had to kick in the door because he forgot his key.

Police said Cervice told them he didn’t remember anything after returning home except “ending back up at the park-and-ride.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)