A Schuylkill County man is now facing additional charges after he allegedly bit and spit on a corrections officer at the local prison.
Police in Pottsville say they were called to Schuylkill County Prison for a report an inmate biting a member of the staff there.
Collin Winter was brought to the prison by police in Schuylkill Haven on April 24. During the intake process, Winter was allegedly uncooperative, argumentative and combative. Winter, police say, had thrown himself onto the floor multiple times and had to be picked up by staff and placed on a bench during this process.
As intake for Winter continued, he was told he’d have to change out of his street clothes and into a prison uniform. Winter allegedly refused to do so and egged on staff by saying, “Go ahead and try to change me.” He was then assisted to the ground and staff attempted to gain control of him to get him to comply.
While they tried to get Winter to comply, the inmate alleged bit a corrections officer on the finger, going through his latex glove and breaking the skin. Winter then spit on multiple members of the prison staff, police say.
Pottsville Police say they’ve filed additional charges against Winter, including aggravated assault on an enumerated person, aggravated harssment by a prison, simple assault, and harassment. Original charges filed by Schuylkill Haven PD include posession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, public drunkenness, and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned on those charges early Friday morning before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel and sent to jail on $5,000 bail.
According to court records, Winter was seen with an open container at the Fast Fill parking lot in Schuylkill Haven just before midnight on Thursday last week. A store employee said Winter was drunk and tried fighting him and another man.
Winter then allegedly ran with his can of Natty Ice toward Borough Hall in Haven, attempting to chase the one man who was riding a bicycle as he fled the scene. As police arrived at the scene near the gas station, they saw Winter. At first, they asked Winter if they’d seen a man chasing another man on a bicycle. Winter allegedly responded that he hadn’t and that police better go find him.
Police realized that the person they were looking for was Winter as he matched the description of the suspect provided by the Fast Fill employee, right down to the open can of Natty Ice.
At that time, Winter then allegedly yeeted the can over his head about 20 feet and said, “What beer?”
During a search of Winter after being detained, police say they found a knife on his person as well as a syringe filled with a liquid. Winter allegedly said he found the syringe on the ground and didn’t know what it was.
Later, police say they spoke with the Fast Fill employee and the other man Winter allegedly tried fighting earlier. They said Winter had randomly approached them and asked them if they “bang” and showed them the filled syringe. When they said they didn’t bang, Winter allegedly tried to fight them.
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