Students and staff in the Perryville High School building spent an hour on lockdown on Wednesday, September 23.
School Resource Officer DFC Stavros Plagianakos explained that it was just a precaution. He said that no students or staff were in danger at any time.
Detective Robert Nitz of Perryville Police Department said that contract crews who were on St. Mark's Church Road near HIllside Lane, reported that a man was obstructing traffic. That suspect fled on foot. A short time later, Nitz, Detective Hoffman, and Officer Pettit, took the man into custody. "We attempted to tase him. It had no effect," said Nitz.
Jonathan Dinatale, 21, who has no fixed address, but is from Perryville, was charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, hindering traffic, and resisting arrest. Dinatale was held at the Cecil County Detention Center on $5,000 bond. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.
When the suspect was at large, DFC Plagianakos, who was assisting with the search, and in consultation with school administration, requested a Code Red. Code Red means that students cannot go outdoors to portable classrooms or leave the building if they are on the Senior Option program. The deputy stated that the school was under Code Red for about 15 minutes. The building was then downgraded to Code Yellow, meaning that students can be outdoors, or switch classes if escorted by a staff member. "Once the suspect was in custody, we released the Code Yellow and it was business as usual," said DFC Plagianakos.
Parents were notified of the incident via the School Messenger phone system. Detective Nitz explained that the Codes were a precaution. "The students were never in danger. He was never on school system property. This was just precautionary," said Nitz.