By Paul Peirce
The Tribune-Review
PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A supervisor for Penn Township Ambulance Service said Monday he intends to fight accusations that he roughed up an employee while he was discharging him for crashing a vehicle.
Edgar Grant, 45, of Penn was charged by Westmoreland County Detectives with a misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary count of harassment in connection with the June 2 incident involving former ambulance service employee Anthony Stoves.
Grant, who has worked for the ambulance service 29 years, said the complaint is unfounded.
“Absolutely, I intend to fight it. It’s an allegation, not fact,” Grant said. “It’s a disgruntled employee making an allegation.”
Detective John Clark alleges in the criminal complaint that Stoves, who was working as an EMT for the ambulance service, “may have been partially or possibly responsible” for the accident, which occurred during inclement weather. Stoves maintains that when he told Grant how the accident occurred, “Grant advised Stoves that he was fired from the ambulance service,” Clark reported.
“Grant advised Stoves to immediately take off a jacket that belonged to the ambulance service and turn it over. Grant then grabbed the jacket by the collar and forcibly attempted to remove the jacket by pulling downward, then spreading the jacket apart and yanking on the zipper,” Stoves told the detective.
When Grant was unable to forcibly remove the jacket, Stoves said he voluntarily let go of it and Grant took it, according to the complaint filed before Harrison City District Judge Helen Kistler.
Stoves alleges that Grant vigorously yanked on the jacket during the incident, Clark reported.
The next morning, Stoves said he was experiencing neck pain as a result of the incident and went to a medical facility in Jeannette, where he received medication for muscle spasms. Stoves told Clark the cost of the visit was $60.
Grant said he intends to remain on the job.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled Nov. 8 before Kistler.
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