Off-duty city officer charged with assault

Incident happened at Star Lake show

An off-duty Pittsburgh police officer was on unpaid leave Friday as he awaits a hearing on charges he punched a woman and threatened police and EMS workers during a show at the Pavilion at Star Lake last month.

Chas Kulow, 33, is charged with public drunkenness and two counts each of simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment.

Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz said Officer Kulow is on unpaid administrative leave.

The incident happened at the Five Finger Death Punch concert Sept. 21 at the Hanover Township venue.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the ambulance staging area after a man got aggressive with paramedics who were treating his girlfriend.

The medics told officers that Officer Kulow was interfering with his girlfriend’s treatment and threatening them.

Officer Kulow walked off into the parking lot, and they responded to another incident within the venue, according to the complaint.

They were called back to the area a short time later and found two concertgoers holding Officer Kulow to the ground, according to the complaint. The attendees told officers that Officer Kulow returned and became aggressive, allegedly punching one woman in the face when she tried to calm him down.

Police noted that the woman’s mouth was bleeding.

Officer Kulow requested he be taken to the hospital because of chest pains, and paramedics advised officers that his elevated heart rate could be a sign he was “under the influence of something other than alcohol and should be evaluated.”

He was taken to Weirton Medical Center where he refused follow-up care.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17. Court records did not list an attorney for Officer Kulow as of Friday afternoon.