Dad Denies Playing Ninja When Son, 4, Alone

SCOTTDALE, Pa.,None — A Westmoreland County man denied he was outside running around pretending to be a ninja, but acknowledges he did leave his 4-year-old son home alone sleeping while he went jogging earlier this month.

Ross Hurst, 28, remains in the Westmoreland County Prison after his preliminary hearing on a child endangerment charge was postponed Wednesday.

Outside the courtroom, Hurst told Channel 11 News that he wasn't pretending to be a ninja when Scottdale police charged him March 3 at about 1:30 a.m.

But police insist Hurst was dressed all in black and "playing ninja" when they confronted him. They said Hurst claimed his mother was babysitting, but she told police she wasn't.

"Oh, it was a big misunderstanding. I wasn't playing ninja," said Hurst. "I wasn't playing anything. I went out for a jog. I told the cops that, but they didn't believe me. It was a mistake. I'm not disputing that."

Hurst also faces terroristic threat charges for an incident prior to the March 3 incident. Police said he threatened to kill his former friend's pregnant wife.

"She was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time, and he told her he was going to cut her throat and kill everyone in the family. It was just too much and after I heard about that thing about wandering the streets dressed up like a ninja, it's something you really have to take seriously," said Justin Jellots, who called police.

"I had been drinking and I was angry. I don't remember what I said, but apparently I called him and I'm going to get through all this and be a better person," Hurst said.

Hurst's wife said they've been separated for "a while." She is caring for their son.

Hurst is scheduled to appear in court on March 30 for a hearing on both cases.

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