A New Kensington woman is facing charges after troopers said she struck a state police horse in Indiana during a delayed St. Patrick’s Day celebration by college-age revelers dubbed IUPatty’s.
State and local police boost enforcement during the annual weekend that is student-planned and not associated with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Earlier this week, state police released some of those preparatory details, which include increased traffic enforcement and roving patrols, as well as help from the agency’s mounted patrol unit and the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
At 11:15 p.m. Friday, a member of the mounted patrol unit was arresting a man for disorderly conduct near the intersection of South Street and Rice Avenue in Indiana.
Trooper Cliff Greenfield said Gabriela R. Kerston, 20, of the 1600 block of Ridge Avenue, New Kensington grabbed the arresting trooper’s hand, which was holding a backpack worn by the man being detained.
While Kerston was being apprehended by another trooper, she hit a state police horse in the neck and stomach several times while resisting arrest, Greenfield said.
She was arraigned Saturday morning on charges of taunting a police animal, obstruction, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Kerston is free on $5,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is set for April 3. She did not have an attorney listed in online court records.
2nd incident: Gun fired
No one was hurt in a separate incident around 2 a.m. Saturday during which a gunshot was fired into the ceiling of a Wayne Avenue home, according to borough police. The suspect was not known by the occupants.
It was unclear if he was arrested.
The festivities have taking place off-campus in Indiana for years. Unruly, alcohol-fueled crowds packed borough streets during the 2014 IUPatty’s celebration and police responded to dozens of calls. At one point, a crowd of more than 400 packed South Seventh Street, where partiers taunted police and got into brawls that were videotaped and later posted on the internet.
The situation prompted a report from state Emergency Management Agency officials. In response, municipal, university and police officials formed a team of people from various segments of the community to have a coordinated response for future celebrations.
Police continued to be busy during the weekend in subsequent years, including in 2017 when there were two off-campus shootings.