Unity man accused of domestic assault, firing at troopers during 7-hour standoff

A Unity man is accused of twice firing a 9 mm handgun during a seven-hour standoff with state troopers after a domestic assault at his home last week, according to court documents.

Gregory S. Dorough, 48, was arrested about 5 p.m. Friday inside his residence along Arnold Palmer Drive. He was arraigned on three counts each of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment and single counts of resisting arrest, terroristic threats, strangulation and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He was arraigned in night court and ordered held in the county jail without bond. District Judge Chris Flanigan noted in court papers that she was not setting a bond because she believes Dorough is a “danger to the community” and a flight risk.

The incident began early Friday when a woman told troopers she was awakened by Dorough in her bedroom and he began choking and punching her.

“The victim further advised Dorough obtained a wooden bedpost and proceeded to strike her multiple times about her face and body with this object,” state police Cpl. Nicholas Pelc said in court documents.

The woman was able to flee and called state police from a neighboring residence.

When troopers arrived to interview the woman, Pelc noticed her body and face were “severely bruised and swollen” and she had multiple lacerations on her face. The woman was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment, while troopers went to Dorough’s residence about 10 a.m.

Pelc reported that troopers surrounded Dorough’s home, which is in the vicinity of Greater Latrobe High School, and asked him to surrender when “troopers heard a single gunshot” from inside the residence about 12:30 p.m.

According to police reports, troopers were able to reach Dorough through loudspeaker and telephone and he admitted firing the single shot and told police he was not going to surrender. State police activated its Special Emergency Response Team, which included personnel in an armored vehicle and drones. Traffic was shut down near the scene.

Pelc said, when troopers tried to enter the residence, Dorough fired a second shot from his handgun. The bullet exited the residence, narrowly missed two troopers, before striking a marked patrol car parked on the road outside.

Dorough was eventually taken into custody and arrested. No troopers were reported injured.

It is illegal for Dorough, who used to live in Blairsville and Derry, to possess firearms because of his 2014 felony robbery conviction. He pleaded guilty to the 2013 robbery and theft of 1,700 OxyContin pills from a Rite Aid Pharmacy in Derry.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 19.