Paul Peirce stories, Page 34
Hempfield 18-year-old accused of assaulting, raping 3 teens
A tip this summer to Pennsylvania’s child abuse hotline has led to state police arresting an 18-year-old Hempfield man on allegations that he raped three teen girls. Joshua E. Kunkle was arraigned on 36 criminal counts of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, indecent assault without consent, sexual assault...
Boy rescued by firefighters after falling into well in Unity
A game of hide-and-seek Sunday almost turned tragic for a boy in Unity after he fell into a 20-foot-deep water well and had to be rescued. The boy was extricated by firefighters from Youngstown and Whitney-Hostetter Volunteer departments who responded to the scene “within minutes” in personal vehicles, according to...
Indiana County DA: Teen arrested, 3 sought in fatal shooting of Pittsburgh man
Indiana Borough Police have arrested a teenaged girl and acquired an arrest warrant for a 20-year-old man in connection with the fatal shooting of a Pittsburgh man who was found early Saturday in a parking lot. Isabella Marie Edmonds, 17, was arraigned late Saturday on multiple charges of homicide, robbery...
‘Treasure seekers’ flock to Apple Hill Playhouse rummage saleVideo
Jennifer Traugott and her 9-year-old daughter, Lucy, made sure they were out the door of their Cooksburg home at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, heading 85 miles away to the Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont on a shopping mission. The Traugotts are part of the Clarion County Homeschoolers drama organization. And —...
3 arrested at Armstrong County bar for child endangerment, cops say
Three members a family who work at the same Armstrong County bar were arrested before midnight Saturday on child endangerment charges, according to Kiski Township police. Police Sgt. Thomas Dessell reported that Harley Rome, 23; Frank Branan, 29, both of Vandergrift, and Tawyna Palermo, 47, of North Apollo, were charged...
Indiana Borough police investigating fatal shooting
Indiana Borough Police are continuing to investigate the fatal shooting of a Pittsburgh man who was found early Saturday in a parking lot. Police said they were called at 4:07 a.m. to the 1300 block of Oakland Avenue for a report of an unresponsive man laying in a private parking...
Police investigating shooting of 3 people in Mt. Oliver
Allegheny County Police are seeking assistance in the investigation of a shooting that wounded three people early Saturday in Mt. Oliver. Police said they were notified of a shooting about 3:24 a.m. in the 1700 block of Arlington Avenue. When authorities arrived, they found three victims, two women and a...
Westmoreland Cleanways adds 2nd household hazardous waste collection date
Due to overwhelming response, Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling Center announced this week it would hold two household hazardous waste collections this fall. In addition to the Oct. 24 collection, a second collection was added for Nov. 21. Ellen Keefe, executive director of the nonprofit environmental organization, said it took just...
Wanted Jeannette man in jail after fight with trooper
A 38-year-old Jeannette man wanted on multiple arrest warrants dating back to March is accused of fighting a state trooper this week after he was found hiding out at a New Stanton motel with his girlfriend and 2-year-old daughter. James V. Villi was jailed on $50,000 bond on charges of...
Female inmate at Westmoreland County prison accused of assaulting 3 guards
A female inmate in the Westmoreland County Prison was arraigned Tuesday on nine criminal counts for allegedly assaulting three guards who were attempting to search her cell last month. Kara Rose Guy, 22, of Swissvale, was charged with six counts of aggravated assault and three counts of simple assault by...
2 Mon Valley men jailed, accused of threatening man with stolen handgun
Two Mon Valley men were ordered to jail in lieu of $100,000 bond each after allegedly threatening a Monessen man with a stolen 9 mm handgun and then trying to hide it from city police. Micah A. Craig, 23, of Charleroi, and Aliziah I. Feliberty, 20, of Monessen, were arrested...
Connellsville’s Harold Betters, known as ‘Mr. Trombone,’ dies at 92
Known as “Mr. Trombone,” Western Pennsylvania native Harold Betters succeeded on the world stage, but he always called Connellsville home. It was in Connellsville where Betters died peacefully Sunday, surrounded by family, according to his daughter. He was 92. Betters, well known for his command of the trombone, was for...
Preregister for next Westmoreland Cleanways hazardous waste collection
Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling Center officials are suggesting county residents begin preparing early for the next household hazardous waste collection Oct. 24. Ellen Keefe, executive director of the nonprofit environmental organization, said the collection will be its first at the new recycling facility that opened in May at 355 Pleasant...
Former Unity man accused of drug distribution facing new charges
A man who was slated to appear in Westmoreland County court next week for allegedly distributing marijuana and THC wax in Latrobe and South Greensburg was arrested again this week in Unity with about $10,000 worth of the powerful cannabis extract. Jeffrey H. Yuhas, 21, now of Clairton but formerly...
Fayette County woman accused of leaving 2 mentally challenged men in SUV while she played video poker
A Fayette County woman caring for two mentally challenged men is accused of leaving them in her SUV for more than an hour while she played video poker inside a Westmoreland County store. Samantha Kay White, 46, of Dawson, was charged Thursday with neglect of a dependent care person and...
Belle Vernon man jailed on $50K bond for allegedly possessing child pornography
A tip to the state Attorney General’s child predator unit from Twitter resulted in the arrest Thursday of a Belle Vernon man on child pornography charges. Benjamin D. Powell, 37, was arraigned on three counts of possessing child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility filed...
Unity man accused of bilking wedding vendor out of $14K also charged with illegally possessing gunsVideo
While some parents rack up debt paying for weddings, police allege a Unity man pocketed $4,000 on his daughter’s nuptials last month — an alleged scheme that landed him in the county jail. Joseph A. Malago, 48, was arraigned last week on multiple charges of forgery, theft and writing worthless...
State police still investigating Route 22 crash in Salem that killed man
A three-vehicle crash last month on Route 22 in Salem that killed an 81-year-old man remains under investigation, according to state police. John H. Meyer of Plum, who was a passenger in a Honda sport utility vehicle driven by his wife, Elinor, 79, was killed in the 10:29 a.m. Sept....
Man accused in Greensburg holdup now facing sexual assault charges
A report to a social worker at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh resulted in multiple sexual assault charges being filed this week by state police against a man who is awaiting trial accused in a robbery of a Greensburg convenience store. Jerome Jamer “Rome” Garrett, 20, of Greensburg, was arraigned...
Troopers: Alleged abuse victim hid in Bradenville streets after assault
A Derry Township woman told state police she fled multiple beatings by her boyfriend by hiding in alleys and streets throughout the village of Bradenville near her home late Friday into Saturday. Troopers arrested a Ligonier Township man, Richard P. Miller, 34, on two counts of simple assault and harassment...
Westmoreland County Prison guard accused of assaulting handcuffed, shackled inmate
For the second time this year, a Westmoreland County prison guard has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed and shackled prisoner in the Hempfield lockup. Rodney Walters, 53, was arraigned Friday on charges of official oppression and simple assault filed by county detectives after a two-month investigation into the...
Man arrested in Virginia child sex sting now accused of abusing Westmoreland County teen
A former Fayette County man serving a 20-year prison sentence in Virginia after his 2018 arrest in a child-abuse sting recently was brought to Westmoreland County to face multiple child abuse charges here. Lawrence W. Henry Jr., 48, who most recently lived in Normalville until his Dec. 14, 2018, arrest...
Somerset County man accused in theft of $32K in food from Hempfield firm
The owner of a Somerset County food distribution firm was accused this week of writing fraudulent checks to a Westmoreland County supply company to obtain more than $32,400 in food last spring. Brandon S. Kishlock, 38, of Jenner Township, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of theft by deception and writing...
Mt. Pleasant Township man accused of impersonating officer, threatening relative, troopers
A former U.S. Forestry Service employee was jailed Wednesday on $100,000 bond after he was charged with falsely identifying himself as a federal law officer and threatening to arrest state troopers responding to a domestic incident in Mt. Pleasant Township. George L. Fusco, 52, was arrested by state police on...
Herminie man charged with assaulting woman, sending her threatening messages
A 25-year-old Herminie man is accused of assaulting a woman outside a Sewickley Township bar, damaging her car and then sending her threatening messages via social media for several hours after a minor traffic accident. Anthony J. Weber III was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, making terroristic threats and...
