Pa. man in profane ambush on TV reporter fined $300

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — An 18-year-old man who grabbed a television reporter’s arm and yelled obscenities during a live broadcast must pay a $300 fine plus $163 in fees after pleading guilty today to a harassment charge.

Police say Tyrone Parker, a former Lackawanna College student, ran up to WNEP’s Stacy Lange during the November news report and yelled a profane phrase that’s been used periodically by people ambushing television reporters over the past year.

Unflustered, Lange continued with her report about Scranton’s budget.

Parker, of Pottstown, could have faced jail time under an original charge for lying to police about the encounter.

Lange says Parker has called her to apologize.