News

Jul 30, 2023

Pittsburgh woman arrested, accused of spraying Munhall court staffers with pepper spray

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A Pittsburgh woman was arrested on multiple charges after allegedly using pepper spray on court employees in Munhall, Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin M. Kraus announced.

Santhiya Mahilkanthan, 32, went into the courthouse of District Judge Patrick Campbell around 3 p.m. Thursday and began arguing with court staff members about a matter that she has before the court.

Online court documents indicate she was scheduled for a summary trial before Campbell on July 18 on charges of theft of services. Those charges were filed May 16.

The sheriff's office report said court staff members asked Mahilkanthan to leave after she became increasingly belligerent and aggressive.

She left the office but returned a short time later and continued to yell at the staff members. Mahilkanthan also reached through a glass partition and began discharging pepper spray.

The report said one of the staffers then went outside to get away from the pepper spray effects, and Mahilkanthan continued to argue in an aggressive manner with that person.

Mahilkanthan is charged with three counts each of aggravated assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, and one count each of criminal mischief, vandalism and obstructing administration of law.

She was taken to the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, [email protected] or via Twitter .

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