Man arrested at North Huntingdon Sheetz accused of spitting on officer, damaging jail cell

North Huntingdon police on Thursday arrested an Olean, N.Y., man after he was accused of damaging a video surveillance camera inside a Sheetz store, stealing merchandise, spitting on an officer and damaging a holding cell at the police station, according to court documents.

Richard A. Braithwaite, 35, was arraigned on charges of aggravated harassment by a prisoner, defiant trespass, disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft and retail theft and three counts of criminal mischief.

Sheetz employees called police to assist in removing a man from the store located on Route 30 after accusing him of taking multiple items, including energy drinks and concealing them, tossing merchandise on the floor as he walked through the store and “ripping a video security camera off the wall.”

According to court documents, when Braithwaite was escorted from the store by police he pulled out an energy drink he had stolen and began drinking it.

“The store manager said he could keep it as long has he left (the store),” police wrote in court documents.

Once in the parking lot, police allege Braithwaite began removing items from the trunk of a vehicle that did not belong to him that was parked at the gas pumps.

During a search after he was taken into custody police found marijuana inside a backpack he had carried into the store, according to court papers.

When he was placed in a holding cell, police allege he spit on police on a sergeant and ripped stuffing out of a mattress.

He was ordered held in the county jail on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Oct. 20.