Man involved in police standoff in Monongahela waives charges to court
The man accused of firing his handgun at a police officer in Monongahela and then holding a police SWAT team at bay on two separate occasions last month has waived his case to court.
Emmanuel Houghton appeared in Washington County Central Court and agreed Friday to forgo his preliminary hearing before District Judge Mark Wilson on attempted homicide and numerous other charges.
Houghton, 20, of Carnegie, is accused of stealing a car in Monongahela shortly before midnight on Aug. 13, and then leading police on a chase in Allegheny County the following morning after the vehicle was reported stolen. The police chase eventually came into Washington County, where Houghton allegedly fired his weapon five times at a Monongahela police officer who was following him, Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said.
That led to a three-hour police standoff with Houghton as officers thought they had cornered him inside a house in the 200 block of Marne Avenue in the city. But Houghton was either not there or able to get away, prompting police officers to search elsewhere for him.
About three hours later, a woman reported seeing Houghton, who was covered in dirt and armed with two handguns, leaving the attic of an apartment at Chess and Third streets. The county's SWAT team returned to the scene and attempted to get Houghton to peacefully surrender, including asking his mother to speak to him.
Four hours after the second standoff began, the SWAT team entered the apartment and was able to arrest Houghton without incident.
In addition to the felony count of attempted homicide, Houghton was also charged with attempted aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, possession of a prohibited weapon and fleeing police. Before Friday's preliminary hearing, Walsh amended the criminal complaint and added several more charges, including flight to avoid apprehension, theft of a firearm, theft of a motor vehicle and criminal trespassing.
Houghton, who is being held without bond at the Washington County jail, is also facing homicide charges in connection with the killing of a man in Allegheny County. He and another man are charged with homicide in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Jordan Geiger in Ohio Township on Aug. 2. His preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for Oct. 18 in Pittsburgh Municipal Court, according to online court documents.
Houghton, who appeared for his hearing Friday shackled and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, could be seen in the courtroom speaking to his defense attorney, Anthony Jackson, before deciding to waive his criminal case to Washington County Court of Common Pleas.
