Man charged with robbery, assault

Staff report

hermitage, pa.

Police have charged a man with stealing an elderly woman’s purse and attacking a witness with brass knuckles.

Lance Eugene Dorsey, 34, of Brentwood Drive in Greenville, Pa., was arrested in the parking lot of the Shenango Valley Mall at 6:45 p.m. Monday.

The woman and Dorsey struggled over the purse in the parking lot until the woman, 79, fell to the ground, police said.

She suffered wrist and shoulder injuries.

Dorsey then fled on foot but was confronted by a witness who saw him take the purse, police said. Dorsey got a set of brass knuckles from his pocket, put them on and began to hit the witness, police said. The witness was struck several times in the head. Three more people came to help the witness. The four held Dorsey on the ground until police arrived, police said.

Dorsey was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, prohibited offensive weapons, simple assault and criminal mischief. He was arraigned at 10 p.m. by District Magistrate Dennis Songer. He is in the Mercer County Jail pending his preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. Aug. 25.