A Couple's Drunken Scene at Central Football Game Leads to Charges

An Altoona couple was arrested on Friday, Sept. 8 after police said they caused a drunken disturbance at the Roaring Spring Athletic Field where Central High School was slated to take on Tyrone in a game that was postponed due to lightning.

According to Roaring Spring police, officers were called to the field at approximately 6:20 p.m. to assist Spring Cove police officers with a reported intoxicated male and a female, later identified as Ryan Dionis, 43, and Nicole Merritts, 49, both of Altoona, who were causing a scene and swearing.

According to police, when the couple were told to leave the football area and not return until they sobered up, they began swearing at police and “stormed off.” Police said the couple returned to the gate area and began “causing an issue” by swearing after they were told they could not get into the game.

Police said Dionis and Merritts smelled of alcohol and refused to provide officers with their names. Police said the couple were getting louder and an officer had to speak over them to ask for their names. Police said Dionis looked at two officers’ name tags and gave his name as a combination of their names.

Police said Dionis then tried walking away from them and when an officer put his hand on Dionis’s arm and instructed him to wait, Dionis began pushing and fighting. While police were struggling with Dionis, they said Merritts yelled “oh no you’re not arresting him,” and attempted to interfere with the arrest.

Police said two officers tried to restrain Merritts and in the struggle she knocked an officer’s glasses off his face, damaging them. While two officers attempted to subdue Merritts, two others were trying to take Dionis into custody, but he kept resisting by pulling away. Police said they warned Dionis that if he did not comply, he would be tased, at which point Dionis lifted his shirt and said “fine, (expletive) tase me then.” Police said they then deployed the taser, striking Dionis in the chest which brought him to the ground.

Once on the ground, police said Dionis continued to resist by stiffening his arms so police could not cuff him. Police said they deployed the taser a second time and were able to get handcuffs on Dionis and place him in custody while two other officers placed Merritts in custody. Dionis was then taken to Conemaugh Nason Medical Center to have the taser probes removed.

Dionis and Merritts are facing charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness. Merritts was also charged with criminal mischief. They were arraigned by Martinsburg Magisterial District Judge Andrew Blattenberger who set bail for Merritts at $5,000 unsecured, and Dionis at $2,500 cash.

Both face preliminary hearings on Oct. 5, in front of Blattenberger.