DANVILLE – A police chief in Montour County is accused of “huffing” compressed air while on duty in May. The Press Enterprise reports Mahoning Township Police Chief Chad Thomas and two other members of the police department are being investigated by the state attorney general’s office. The three officers are still on duty.
Officers from Mahoning and another department allegedly witnessed Thomas inhaling compressed air, which is a misdemeanor criminal offense. The newspaper says a witness described Thomas as impaired after the incident. Thomas admitted in July that he had been suspended for a week in June and made a public apology to township residents, but didn’t explain why he was suspended.
District Attorney Rebecca Warren admitted the incident was referred to the state attorney general. The other two officers being investigated are Sgt. Chris Prescott and patrolman Charles Dietterick. They are not accused of huffing, but misconduct in the police department.