Paul Peirce stories, Page 11
Drivers seeing red over flashing yellow signal at Route 30 intersection in Hempfield
Some motorists are having a tough time getting used to a newly installed left-turn-yield traffic signal at North Greengate Road and Route 30, according to social media chatter. The traffic signal is among 11 upgrades PennDOT has made since last spring along a 3-mile stretch of Route 30 between Jeannette and...
Mt. Pleasant man arrested in connection with deadly 2020 crash in New Stanton
A Mt. Pleasant man told troopers he struck and killed his girlfriend in a freak car accident Aug. 10, 2020, as he freed his car from a curb on a New Stanton roundabout, according to court records. Robert S. Barnhart, 42, has a preliminary hearing scheduled Wednesday before East Huntingdon...
Blairsville man accused of robbing service station, assaulting clerk
A Blairsville man was is accused by state police in Indiana of robbing a service station in Armagh early Friday and assaulting the clerk. Nicholas R. Empfield, 27, was arrested and ordered held in the Indiana County Jail after failing to post $150,000 bond, according to court dockets. Troopers were...
Off-duty trooper alerts Unity family to house fire
Jeffrey and Michelle Miller had just gone to sleep Wednesday when they were awakened by someone pounding and kicking at their front door along Donohoe Road in Unity. “He was actually kicking through the door, and, when I got dressed and down there, he pointed around the back toward the...
3 accused of abandoning pet ferrets at county park in Hempfield
Westmoreland County Park Police cited three people Tuesday with animal cruelty-related charges, saying they abandoned two pet ferrets at Twin Lakes Park in Hempfield, according to court records. Sonia Hermann, 40, of Delmont and Danette Hermann and Jesse Lucas, both, 21, of Little River, S.C., were cited for animal cruelty...
Westmoreland County Prison inmate accused of threatening guard with razor
A 65-year-old Westmoreland County Prison inmate was arraigned Monday on charges of threatening a female guard with a razor blade, according to court documents. County detectives charged Dale E. Baum of Derry Township with two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the alleged Dec. 6 incident. Baum, who was...
2 of the 3 people found shot dead in Homewood South have been identified
Pittsburgh police responded to a report of shots fired early Friday and discovered three people shot and killed inside a home in the city’s Homewood South neighborhood, according to a spokesman for the department of public safety. Police said officers were dispatched to the 7500 block of Hamilton Avenue around...
Police seek information on purse theft at Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino
State police gaming enforcement officers are asking for the public’s help as they try to identify a man accused of taking an 85-year-old woman’s purse at Rivers Casino early Sunday. The victim forgot her purse — which contained her cellphone, an unspecified amount of cash and credit cards — at...
Longtime Shanksville fire chief, who responded on 9/11, in need of heart transplant
The Somerset County area is digging deep to help longtime area firefighter Terry Shaffer, who was Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department’s chief when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on 9/11. Shaffer, 66, was admitted last week to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment of congestive heart failure, according to his...
Washington Township man jailed after standoff with police
A 45-year-old Washington Township man accused of assaulting a teenage girl and threatening her with a rifle surrendered to police after a four-hour standoff early Wednesday, according to court documents. Township police arrested Calvin C. Creighton Jr. at his home on the 100 block of Turack Road just after 4...
Powerball jackpot will climb to $483 million on New Year’s Day
Looks like 2022 is going to be a great year for someone. The Powerball lottery jackpot will climb to $483 million on New Year’s Day after no one matched the five numbers and Powerball in Wednesday’s drawing, according to state lottery officials. The numbers drawn were 2-6-9-33-39 and the Powerball...
After 40 years, Westmoreland County’s only scuba diving shop owners are retiring
Van McGhee admits always being captivated as a boy by the underwater adventures of fictitious ex-U.S. Navy frogman Mike Nelson in “Sea Hunt,” a television drama series from 1958-61 starring Lloyd Bridges. “I thought it was just fascinating,” he said. For 40 years, McGhee, 70, and his wife, Barb, 63,...
Coroner identifies 3 people killed in New Castle house fire
Two family members and a guest were killed in a house fire early Wednesday in Lawrence County. The victims were identified as Courtney Payne, 41, and Terrianna Payne, 17, both of New Castle, and Xzavia Booker, 18, who was originally from New Castle, according to Lawrence County Coroner Richard Johnson....
Troopers say Beaver County man assaulted, duct-taped ex-girlfriend in South Huntingdon
A South Huntingdon woman accused a former boyfriend of threatening to shoot her, choking her and restraining her by wrapping her wrists in duct tape during an argument that spanned several hours Monday, according to court documents. David J. Bosh, 29, of Aliquippa, also is accused of pushing a girl...
Police say North Huntingdon man assaulted his mom, aunt as they tried to break up domestic fight
A 30-year-old North Huntingdon man was arrested this week after township police said he assaulted his mother and an aunt who were attempting intercede in a domestic argument. Joseph J. Sabo of Westmoreland City was arrested Monday on multiple charges of harassment and simple assault and single counts of criminal...
Penn Township man arrested in stabbing deaths of father, aunt waives right to hearing
A 41-year-old Penn Township man accused in the stabbing deaths of his father and elderly aunt avoided a hearing Tuesday on two criminal homicide charges and opted to proceed to trial. Neal M. Hubish, who has a history of violence and mental health issues, was arrested Nov. 9 after he...
Fast response to fire in Penn Township home limits damage, firefighters say
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish a blaze Thursday limiting damage to a home in Penn Township, Harrison City Volunteer Fire Chief Gene Good said. The fire at the residence on Chris Drive was reported just before noon. “We were able to contain it to an upstairs bathroom,” Good said....
Police: Man arrested for threatening Scottdale family, nearly striking policeman with car
A Fayette County man who said he planned to harm relatives in Scottdale in a barrage of text messages this week intentionally swerved his car toward a responding police officer who was investigating the threats, according to court papers. The Scottdale patrolman, Michael Whipkey, said in court documents he turned...
Troopers say Verona woman stabbed man in Derry Township during argument
State police arrested an Allegheny County woman early Thursday after she was accused of stabbing a 37-year-old Derry Township man during a domestic argument, according to court records. Betty J. Babb, 36, of Verona, was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, harassment and simple assault. She was ordered held in...
Westmoreland Shop With a Cop benefits more than 600 children this year
Nine-year-old Zyire Sanu reached deep into a shopping cart loaded with toys to locate a package containing boxing gloves that he had picked from a shelf at Walmart in North Huntingdon. After locating the gear and declaring them his favorite selection of the day, the Pittsburgh kid turned to his...
Export man arrested, charged with drug possession
An Export man is facing 12 drug-related charges because, state troopers allege, he tossed a bag of methamphetamine from his shirt pocket when they came to his home to serve him with a warrant. Ronald I. Askey, 49, was in the county jail without bond Wednesday after his arraignment. Cpl....
Troopers: Derry Area student to be charged after social media post referencing school violence threats
A 14-year-old Derry Area High School student will be charged with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct for a statement state police said she made Friday regarding a nationwide string of threats on social media made against school districts. The girl, who was not identified, allegedly made a statement on...
Fire damages commercial garage in North Huntingdon; cause under investigation
North Huntingdon firefighters and police are investigating the cause of a blaze that extensively damaged a commercial garage and destroyed a skid loader that was parked inside, firefighters said. The two-bay garage at 13421 Ardara Road was reported at 9:11 a.m. William Hardy, chief of the Larimer Volunteer Fire Department,...
Fayette County man jailed without bond on accusations of raping, photographing sex acts with 4 girls
A Fayette County man was ordered held in the county jail without bond after he was arrested by state troopers on 40 felony counts of sexually abusing four young girls who he befriended over the last six years. David A. Straitiff, 47, of North Union, was arrested Saturday by troopers...
Charges against Latrobe councilman, former firefighter to be dropped after deal reached
Moments before the start of a court hearing Monday for a Latrobe councilman and a former city firefighter accused of stealing department funds to pay private legal fees, defense attorneys met privately with the prosecutor and resolved the criminal case. Assistant District Attorney Leo J. Ciaramitaro emerged from the chamber...
