Firefighters dodge griller's dinnerware
Delaware County firefighters are accustomed to performing dangerous and often thankless duties, but they're not used to dodging dinnerware. Police say that 29-year-old Anthony Derubeis was cooking the books - actual books, on a grill - yesterday morning and apparently didn't want to be bothered.
Delaware County firefighters are accustomed to performing dangerous and often thankless duties, but they're not used to dodging dinnerware.
Police say that 29-year-old Anthony Derubeis was cooking the books - actual books, on a grill - yesterday morning and apparently didn't want to be bothered.
Firefighters responding to the post-Labor Day book-becue in Upper Darby were greeted by an unforeseen hazard: the flying dinner plate.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood Sr. said that Derubeis, for reasons unknown, began winging plates and full water bottles at them from his back deck.
"Whatever he could get his hands on, he was throwing at them," Chitwood said.
Derubeis ran inside his Alverstone Road home while the fire continued to burn. Cops tried to get him to come outside, to no avail.
"He replied, 'I ain't coming the [bleep] outside,' " Chitwood said. "The next thing you know, there was a fight. He got in a fight with the police, and the police had to subdue him."
Derubeis was awaiting arraignment yesterday afternoon on charges of simple and aggravated assault, arson, risking a catastrophe, resisting arrest and seven counts of recklessly endangering another person. No injuries were reported.
"We feel the guy may have some mental-health issues that have to be dealt with," Chitwood said.
