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Authorities Search For Man Who Attacked Trooper On State Route 28

FRAZER TWP. (KDKA) -- State police say a trooper who works out of the police barracks in Kittanning was assaulted on Jan. 8 by a passenger inside a car police pulled over on Route 28 Northbound in Frazer Township.

Police say the passenger, 26-year-old Byron Edward Williams, used a fake name -- John Green -- twice and he refused to cooperate with the officer.

"Again he (the trooper) asked him if he had any warrants for his arrest, he told him no," said Tpr. Anthony Vaccaro of the Pennsylvania State Police. "He told him he would be detained until he could be identified at which point he became aggressive and told the trooper 'no.'"

State police say Williams rushed the trooper, sending him into a guard rail.

"They started wrestling alongside 28," said Vaccaro, "at which point you hear him on the (trooper's radio) tell the trooper 'by the way, I have a gun.'"

Police say Williams got away from the trooper and ran into the woods. Police searched for him, but didn't find him.

"Snow was laid out on the ground and they followed the trail, K9 was following the footprints and they basically came to a road. That's where they believe a third party came and picked him up, " added Vaccaro.

Police say this wasn't the first time Williams assaulted a police officer. Court records show a warrant from an incident in Pittsburgh.

"...talking with the Pittsburgh police department we found out they'd also had an aggravated assault on an officer two weeks prior, with the same type of incident, situation," said Vaccaro.

Police say Williams should be considered armed and dangerous. They say the woman who was driving the car that police pulled over is cooperating with authorities. The trooper who was assaulted was not seriously injured.

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