Paul Peirce stories, Page 68
ATF joins state police probe into arson at Indiana County church
Federal agents have joined state police fire marshals to investigate an arson early Tuesday that destroyed a church in rural Indiana County. Investigators, including agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are seeking information from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of...
State police discover 4th meth lab in 2 months in Indiana County
State police are continuing an investigation into a suspected methamphetamine lab discovered Monday inside a West Wheatfield Township residence in Indiana County near the Westmoreland County border. Troop A spokesman Cliff Greenfield said the lab was discovered about 1:50 p.m. at 91 Caroline St. in the village of Robinson. Greenfield...
9 suspects in southwestern Pa. gambling ring waive hearings, head to trial
Nine alleged bookmakers in an illegal multi-county sports gambling ring in southwestern Pennsylvania on Tuesday waived preliminary hearings before North Huntingdon District Judge Wayne Gongaware on charges of conducting illegal sports betting and numbers lotteries. Robert “Bobby I.” Iannelli, 88, of Wexford, and his son, Rodney “Rusty” Iannelli, 58, of...
Herminie man accused by troopers of injuring infant girl
A 20-year-old Herminie man was arraigned Tuesday on multiple criminal charges for allegedly assaulting an 8-month-old girl he was babysitting last November. Shane M. Morrison was arraigned before Hempfield District Judge Mark Mansour on charges of aggravated assault on a child less than 13 years old, simple assault and reckless...
Indiana County jail inmate dies of injuries in Pittsburgh hospital
An inmate at the Indiana County Jail who was hospitalized Thursday after he was found unresponsive in his cell has died, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. Robert S. Taylor, 31, of Blacklick, was pronounced dead 7:50 p.m. Sunday at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, the medical examiner’s office...
New York men accused of cocaine possession after North Huntingdon traffic stop
Two men from Bronx, N.Y., are being held without bail in Westmoreland County after North Huntingdon officers with the help of a police dog over the weekend discovered eight packages of suspected cocaine hidden inside their car after they were stopped for driving erratically on Route 30. Dario E. Jansen-Kelly,...
Rostraver Township police seek Duquesne man for alleged Feb. 15 shooting
Rostraver Township police obtained an arrest warrant for an Allegheny County man who allegedly shot a man during a robbery inside an apartment earlier this month. Solomon Reddick-Barker, 18, of Duquesne, is charged with aggravated assault, robbery, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and carrying a firearm without a license in connection...
Troopers seek information on alleged hit-and-run in East Huntingdon
George Estochin said he doesn’t remember much about being hit by a pickup truck that fled the scene Saturday in the parking lot of the Tractor Supply store in East Huntingdon. “But I can tell you the only thing that doesn’t hurt on me is my nose. No broken bones,...
Hempfield pawn shop owner assists state troopers in Ruffs Dale burglary investigation
The owner of a Hempfield pawn shop said he was happy to lend a hand Friday to state police troopers investigating the theft of hundreds of decorative pen knives and three firearms during a burglary at a home in Ruffs Dale this week. The suspect, Brandon J. Spallone, 22, of...
Ligonier Township man accused of assaulting officer working on plea deal, attorney says
The attorney for a Ligonier Township man accused of assaulting an off-duty Ligonier policeman last Dec. 22 said Friday his client is working on terms of a plea bargain agreement and is anxious to put the incident behind him. Brad J. Steffey, 36, of Laughlintown, waived his right to a...
Woman reported injured after crash into Mt. Pleasant house
A woman was injured Thursday when her sport utility vehicle struck a house in Mt. Pleasant. The owners of the home at 201 S. Diamond St. — Billie and Michael DiPasquale — said that the driver was traveling north when the vehicle hit a car in front of Diamond Self-Storage...
Mt. Pleasant Township man accused of shooting at trooper, 2 women to stand trial
A state trooper testified Thursday that a 47-year-old man stepped outside of a camping trailer in Mt. Pleasant Township and fired three shots from a handgun in his direction. Based on the testimony of state police Cpl. James McCutcheon and two others, Norvelt District Judge Roger Eckels ordered Timothy Minerd...
Deputies serving warrant on accused heroin dealer find marijuana operation in YoungwoodVideo
As Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies served an arrest warrant Thursday to a suspected heroin dealer in Youngwood, they reported stumbling upon a marijuana growing and distribution operation as well. Justin Bialowis, 31, was wanted by Greensburg police following a heroin distribution and drug paraphernalia arrest last month, Sheriff Jon Held...
Fayette County woman indicted for illegally cashing $40K in Social Security checks
A Fayette County woman was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh this week on a charge of theft of government property for allegedly cashing more than $40,500 in Social Security survivor’s disability benefit checks she was not entitled to receive. The one-count indictment alleges Mika Lint, 40, also...
Duquesne man wanted in Uniontown shooting, cops say
Uniontown police obtained an arrest warrant this week for a 20-year-old Allegheny County man wanted for attempted homicide for allegedly firing a 9mm handgun at a carload of people outside a gas station Feb. 5. Police also are seeking Xavier “Buckets” Cash of Duquesne on five counts each of aggravated...
2 men accused of multiple burglaries in Bell Township
Kiski Valley state police arrested two men this week in connection with a series of burglaries in which a utility vehicle, go-carts, cans of fuel, tools and auto parts that were reported stolen in December in Bell Township. Michael Lint, 36, of Armstrong County and David “Ziggy” Ziegenhagen, 36, an...
Greensburg man ordered to jail after 3rd drug arrest in 13 months
A third arrest for delivery and possession of a controlled substance in just over a year resulted in a Greensburg man being ordered held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond this week. When acting District Judge Charles Conway saw on a state police complaint filed Monday that Malcolm Massay,...
Police: Jeannette man involved in chase faces 10 new charges
A 37-year-old man who Greensburg police say led multiple Westmoreland County police departments on a chase between Jeannette and Penn Township, eventually crashing into a utility pole, has been charged with 10 more criminal and traffic complaints. Thomas Campbell, of Jeannette, is being held in the county jail on $75,000...
Report of ‘suspicious bicyclist’ in Hempfield leads to arrest by troopers
A man riding a bicycle through a Hempfield neighborhood before dawn Friday allegedly entered unlocked vehicles and took items, including a handgun, state police at Greensburg reported. Troopers arrested Douglas A. Bartrug, 32, of Pittsburgh, at 3:50 a.m. in the Farmbrook Drive area of Fort Allen after he was discovered...
Smithton man accused of assaulting Westmoreland prison guard
An 18-year-old Smithton man was charged Thursday for allegedly assaulting a Westmoreland County Prison guard as he was being strip-searched following his arrest Oct. 7. Timothy D. Ingram was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault filed by county detectives. He was remanded to the county prison after...
6th person accused in Fayette-Westmoreland drug acquisition scheme
State police in Greensburg have arrested a sixth person in connection with an illegal drug-acquisition operation which operated from 2015-16 in Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Brooke N. Cross, 27, of Largo, Fla, formerly of South Huntingdon, was arraigned Thursday on charges of illegal acquisition of a controlled substance, participating in...
Missing 87-year-old man discovered dead in Fayette County, cops say
An 87-year-old Fayette County man who wandered from his home Monday was discovered dead about one mile from his residence on Thursday, according to state police in Uniontown. Troopers and the family had issued a missing persons alert for Luther Bryner of Dunbar Township, who was last seen in the...
Cops: Suspect ditched bag of kittens during Westmoreland County chase
A sack of kittens discarded by a retail theft suspect during a police chase are now safe at a Greensburg animal shelter. Officers returned to the Jeannette home where the chase began Wednesday, when 37-year-old Thomas Campbell ran as police sought to question him for a series of recent thefts...
Police dog tracks fleeing warrant suspect in Claridge
Police chased a man Wednesday afternoon from Jeannette to Penn Township where he crashed his vehicle and hid underneath a mobile home in Claridge, according to Penn Township Police Chief John Otto. There was a heavy police presence and streets closed near Claridge Elliott Road until Greensburg K9 Falco located...
Latrobe Police seeking information on stolen sport utility vehicle
Latrobe Police are asking the public’s help locating a sport utility vehicle that was reported stolen early Wednesday. Police Chief John Sleasman reported a resident on the 600 block of Fairmont Street reported her white and silver Kia Sorento was stolen just after 6 a.m. “She reported she went out...
