DATED: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

KITTANNING BOROUGH, ARMSTRONG COUNTY:

Armstrong County District Attorney Katie Charlton announced the conviction of Ronald Raymond Piper, 47, of Butler of two counts of felony aggravated assault against a police officer, one count of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of felony fleeing a police officer and engaging in a high speed chase, and several misdemeanor charges including possession of methamphetamine. The Commonwealth secured the convictions following a day long jury trial held on September 15th before the Honorable President Judge Chase G. McClister in the Court of Common Pleas of Armstrong County.

Piper was arrested in October of 2025 by Trooper Zachary Swartz of the Pennsylvania State Police criminal investigations unit, Kittanning barracks. The charges were the result of an incident involving a vehicle pursuit that ended with Mr. Piper attempting to strike a Pennsylvania State Police trooper with his vehicle before crashing the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Troopers had observed a vehicle driven by the Piper which was relayed to have been involved in a theft incident. Troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, at which time Piper refused to pull over resulting in an extended vehicle pursuit.  Spike strips were used to attempt to stop the fleeing vehicle; however, after striking the strips, Piper continued to flee before turning the vehicle in the direction of a Trooper who was standing off of the roadway, causing the Trooper to have to run out of the vehicle’s path. Piper continued driving off the roadway into a heavily wooded area before getting out of the vehicle and fleeing on foot.  

The case was tried by First Assistant District Attorney Jordan Buzza. The jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty on all counts after approximately three hours of deliberation. At trial, the Commonwealth called Pennsylvania State Troopers as witnesses. Additionally, the jury was shown video footage of the vehicle attempting to strike the Trooper. 

In response to the verdict, Charlton praised First Assistant District Attorney Buzza as well as Trooper Swartz. “Mr. Piper endangered not only law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs, but also the general public by engaging in a high speed pursuit. Such conduct will not be tolerated in Armstrong County. Protecting those who put their lives on the line to protect us is not just a duty—it’s the foundation of a safe and just society. I want to thank Trooper Swartz for putting together an excellent investigation that allowed my office to pursue this case to the fullest extent of the law.” 

Charlton also noted that Mr. Buzza has a proven track record of convictions. “The residents and law enforcement community of Armstrong County are truly fortunate to have Mr. Buzza as a prosecutor, just as I am truly blessed to have him on my team. Any person thinking of committing such crimes here should be warned.”

Mr. Buzza responded to the verdict by noting how important it is to hold individuals such as Piper accountable, as the law enforcement community risks their lives daily to protect the community. “I want to extend my deepest appreciation to all of those in the Armstrong County law enforcement community for their courage, dedication and unwavering commitment to protecting our community every day. This case is a clear example of how they put their lives on the line for us. I am very happy with the verdict in this case which held Mr. Piper accountable for his actions.” 

Upon motion of Mr. Buzza, Judge McClister revoked the defendant’s bond. Sentencing is scheduled for November 24, 2026.