Inmate accused of vandalizing Indiana County Jail plumbing system

A man in custody at the Indiana County Jail ripped a sprinkler head from the ceiling and tried to use it as a weapon Wednesday, authorities said.

Desmond Michael Johnson, 26, of Pittsburgh, facing drug and firearms charges, became angry and destroyed a fire suppression/sprinkler system, according to a news release from state police at Indiana.

When officers tried to subdue him, he was holding on to the sprinkler head, waving it around in an attempt to taunt and injure the correctional officers, police said.

A jail special operations team was called in to subdue the man and remove the sprinkler head.

No injuries occurred during the incident, but damage was estimated at $5,500, including clean-up costs from water damage, repair and testing of the sprinkler system and inspection of the plumbing system, police said.

Johnson was charged Wednesday with assault by a prisoner and institutional vandalism before Homer City District Judge Susanne Steffee, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 3.

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Inmate accused of vandalizing Indiana County Jail plumbing system