There was disorder in the court when a defendant awaiting his sentencing became agitated and jumped from his seat, lunging toward sheriff's deputies in Butler County Judge William Shaffer's packed courtroom.

Moments earlier, the suspect, Robert W. Dunkel Jr., 43, of Slippery Rock, had directed a malicious comment to the judge.

The incident occurred Tuesday.

Several deputies had to tackle Dunkel to the floor and wrestle with him, leaving court staff, attorneys, defendants and other onlookers dumbfounded.

The courtroom had to be cleared before Dunkel was eventually led away in handcuffs. One of the deputies suffered minor injuries.

District Judge Sue Haggerty later arraigned Dunkel on felony and misdemeanor assault charges as well as obstructing the administration of justice and resisting arrest.

He is in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail.

The courtroom dramatics played out during the morning sentence court session where Dunkel was to learn his sentence on a summary charge of harassment.

The victim in that case, a woman in her 20s, was reading a victim impact statement at sentence court when Dunkel became annoyed, authorities said.