Sister: Man didn’t want to be jailed

An Altoona man who fought Tuesday evening with police and probation officers and barricaded himself in a bedroom with his baby and a friend said he used cocaine about an hour prior to the fracas, an official from the Blair County's Parole and Probation Department said.

Department co-director Thomas Shea said Thursday that the incident with George J. Rodgers, 31, of 1617 Second Ave. was among the worst he has seen in his career as a city police, parole and probation officer.

Rodgers not only tried to elude officers by putting chests of drawers and mattresses against the door of a second-floor bedroom, but eventually crawled into a small cubbyhole in a third floor attic, a space between the inner and outer walls of the home.

During the confrontation, Rodgers tried to stab officers with a hypodermic needle and tried to hit an officer with a piece of wood. He was unaffected by several canisters of pepper spray that were emptied into the cubbyhole, including several direct shots to his face, Shea said

He used his head as a battering ram to try to punch a hole in the outside wall of the home and kicked other holes in the interior wall. At one point, Rodgers pulled out a cigarette lighter and attempted to set the house on fire, according to reports from Shea and the police.

At least one police officer had to have his eyes flushed after the struggle because of particles of insulation in the air.

Shea said he and the other officers were concerned about the baby, but another man was in the second floor bedroom with Rodgers, and when police finally were able to break through the barricade, the friend was holding the baby, who was unhurt.

Shea said while the baby was not harmed, he was shaking with fear.

Rodgers is in the Blair County Prison on parole violation detainers and police have stated that additional charges will be filed including aggravated assault.

The baby was eventually turned over to Rodgers' wife who came to the home during the struggle. She was at work.

On Thursday afternoon, Rodgers' sister, who wished to remain anonymous, was at the home caring for the baby.

She gave Rodgers' side of the story, saying he resisted officers Tuesday evening because he didn't want to go to jail.

She described him as a good father of three children who has been with his wife for 15 years. He often stayed home to care for the children while his wife was at work, she said.

She said the baby was never in danger because Rodgers' friend was in the barricaded bedroom with him.

The sister would not answer questions about Rodgers' drug use, saying ''that's too much information.''

Shea said the incident began when he and several other parole and probation officers went to the home to take Rodgers into custody because he had violated his parole on charges of theft and simple assault.

Tests showed he had ''hot urine'' Shea said, indicating that he had been using drugs.

Shea said Rodgers also missed several appointments with parole officers.

On Tuesday evening, Rodgers wouldn't answer the door although officers were sure he was inside.

After calls to Rodgers' wife and landlord, officers learned that he was in the home and that they could enter through a basement door.

Shea said his officers spent about an hour trying to talk to Rodgers, but when he threatened to stab them with a needle, the county officers decided it was time to call police.

Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.