By Francis Scarcella
The Daily Item
SHAMOKIN, Pa. — A Northumberland County inmate said he was naked when he used his food tray to smash his cell window after becoming drunk on wine he made from fruit and sugar, Northumberland County detective Degg Stark said.
Zachary Zerbe, 20, who is serving a sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Coal Township for a 2014 burglary, told Stark he was highly intoxicated inside his cell April 30.
He made alcohol by mixing fruit and sugar but did not remember smashing the glass window on his cell door, according to court documents. Zerbe said he drank six peanut-butter jars full of the homemade wine, Stark said.
The incident began when Zerbe began to yell at correctional officers to return his clothes, according to court documents.
Guards responded that they would speak to a supervisor, but Zerbe began to hit the glass window on his cell door with his food tray, Stark said.
The window cracked, Stark said.
Guards entered the cell, handcuffed and removed Zerbe.
Upon being questioned by Stark, Zerbe claimed he remembered yelling at officers and was angry that his clothes were not returned to him, according to court documents.
Zerbe claims he “blacked out” and recalls nothing else until he was handcuffed and walked to the Restrictive Housing Unit section of the prison, Stark said.
Zerbe claims he was naked at the time, court documents said.
He has been charged with a misdemeanor count of institutional vandalism and criminal mischief.
The county is also seeking $265 in restitution for the damage.
Zerbe was arraigned before Shamokin District Judge John Gembic.
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