Renatta Signorini stories, Page 139
Pittsburgh mother sentenced to 5-10 years in daughter’s OD death
A Pittsburgh woman was sentenced Wednesday to five to 10 years in a state prison for her toddler’s 2018 death from a fentanyl overdose. Jhenea Pratt, 24, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment during a June trial. Pratt has been jailed since her August 2018 arrest. Prosecutors said...
Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez held without bail on child sex charges in Westmoreland CountyVideo
Suspended Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez arrived at a Westmoreland County courtroom Wednesday and shook hands with a district judge before being arraigned on child sex allegations. The Venezuela native wore dark frame glasses, a blue jail uniform and had his hands cuffed in front of him. An interpreter translated...
Police: Woman urinated on state agent searching her during Jeannette drug arrest
A Johnstown woman is charged with aggravated assault after she urinated on an agent from the state attorney general’s office who was searching her Monday at the Jeannette police station, according to court papers. Ashley Evon Sanders, 33, vomited as she was being placed in a holding cell at the...
Police: Monessen woman was drunk when she hit parked cars, person in North Belle Vernon
A Monessen woman allegedly was intoxicated Monday when she hit several parked cars, lost a wheel on her SUV and hit a woman who tried to get her to stop driving through North Belle Vernon, according to police. Sarah Elizabeth Kolenc, 27, is charged with aggravated assault, driving under the...
Pair arrested in North Huntingdon vehicle theft, break-ins
Two Allegheny County residents were being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after police said they were involved in a vehicle theft and break-ins at a North Huntingdon neighborhood during the weekend. Dylan Keith Walklin, 26, of Whitaker, and Celeste Anabelle Hartle, 18, of West View, are jailed on $50,000...
Addiction recovery film, panel discussion planned at The Westmoreland
A free public screening of a documentary about people living in recovery from an addiction will be held Thursday at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg. The film — “The Anonymous People” — will be followed by a panel discussion. The event is being sponsored by the Westmoreland...
Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez moved to Westmoreland prison on child sex charges
Suspended Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez was booked into the Westmoreland County Prison on Monday. Sheriff’s deputies transported Vazquez from the Allegheny County Jail, where he has been held for nearly a week after his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting a former Scottdale teenage girl. The 28-year-old relief pitcher is...
Salem woman killed in Route 22 crash
An 87-year-old woman was killed Monday in a two-vehicle crash in Salem Township, according to state police. Huldah Holby of Salem was stopped in a Buick on Hannastown Road at its intersection with Route 22 at 8:45 a.m. She pulled out onto the highway and attempted to make a left...
Police: Teen arrested after drugs, knife found inside Indiana County school
A 15-year-old Indiana County boy was charged through juvenile probation after state police said he brought drugs and a knife into an East Mahoning Township school last week. Troopers said the Rochester Mills boy had a black knife and suspected marijuana in a glass container at the building on Thursday....
Prescription pills led local women down years-long path of addiction
A doctor wrote Nicki Ross a prescription for Percocet. It changed her life. The Greensburg woman was prescribed the opiate painkiller after a 2001 surgery. She took three to four pills a day at first. Soon, she was downing as many as 20 daily, taking to the streets to find...
Westmoreland ‘super voters’ inducted into special state Hall of FameVideo
Carol and Chuck Chamberlain celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last month. On Friday, the Latrobe couple marked another important part of their lives together — 50 consecutive years of voting in a general election. “You have to keep the democracy going and that’s the only way to do it, by...
Report: Antonio Brown sent ‘intimidating’ texts to accuser
A woman who alleges former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown made an unwanted sexual advance toward her said she received what she described as intimidating text messages from a number associated with Brown, according to Sports Illustrated. Sports Illustrated published an article this week detailing a few allegations against Brown,...
2 arson cases, 1 fatal, against Jeannette man to be tried together
Two arson cases against a Jeannette man, including one in which an elderly woman died, will be tried together, a Westmoreland County judge ruled this week. Brian Rendon, 35, had sought stand trial separately on the accusations. Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio said the fires occurred within two days of each other,...
Wexford doctor will be Team USA physician at Rugby World Cup in Japan
Dr. Sam Akhavan won’t be competing, but he will experience all the excitement from the field during Team USA’s play in the men’s 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. The Allegheny Health Network orthopedic physician will be keeping a close eye on the USA players, watching for concussions and knee...
Laurel Highlands DUI Task Force plans checkpoints, patrols
Members of the Laurel Highlands DUI Task Force will be looking for intoxicated drivers this weekend in Westmoreland County. There will be a stationary sobriety checkpoint and roving patrols on Friday and Saturday, according to a news release. Authorities did not say where the enforcement will be taking place. Police...
Police: Foot chase to Jeannette home leads to drug bust
A Jeannette man allegedly led agents from the state attorney general’s office on a foot chase to his home Tuesday where they found drugs and cash, according to court papers. Damone Akeir Morton, 24, was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $20,000 bail on charges of aggravated assault,...
Engineer: Greensburg/Hempfield sinkhole repair won’t affect Route 30Video
Progress is being made to repair damaged underground infrastructure that caused a massive sinkhole to open up two months ago along Route 30 at the border of Greensburg and Hempfield. PennDOT contracted with Gulisek Construction to handle the project that has been ongoing since heavy rains in mid-July caused an...
Inmate attempts suicide at Westmoreland jail
Westmoreland County Prison officials are working to transfer a male inmate who attempted suicide Friday to Torrance State Hospital in Derry Township for mental health treatment, Warden John Walton said. The inmate was found Friday night hanging by a bed sheet in a disciplinary cell as guards made their regular...
Motorcyclist killed in Homewood crash
A Homewood man riding a motorcycle died Monday night after being involved in a crash in the Pittsburgh neighborhood. Charles William Allen, 24, was riding an off-road motorcycle at 9:40 p.m. when he collided with a car near the intersection of Kelly Street and North Dallas Avenue, according to Pittsburgh...
‘Very Special Proms’ charity seeks donations after Hempfield flood damages dresses, more
Faith-based nonprofit The Celebration of Life, which runs the annual Very Special Prom, is in need of help after flooding in July damaged donated gowns, dress shoes and other items set for sale at a flea market. Organization volunteer president Tina Rusiski said the items were being stored in the...
Derry burglary suspect accused of leading police on 9 mile chase
A Loyalhanna Township man is accused of breaking into a Derry Borough home early Sunday and then leading police on a nine mile chase, according to court papers. Clark Headrick, 30, was arraigned Monday on charges of burglary, fleeing from police, reckless endangerment and several other offenses. He was being...
Latrobe man accused of animal cruelty after 17 pets found dead
A Latrobe man posted $500 bond last week after he was arrested on animal cruelty charges in connection with 17 dead animals found inside his former Derry Township mobile home. Andrew T. Pevarnik, 44, had been evicted from the home in April. The animals — 11 guinea pigs, five rats...
Mt. Pleasant library director returns to stacks of his boyhood
The books were always calling to Brian Dawson. As a young boy, he’d ride his bicycle a couple of blocks from his Mt. Pleasant home to the library to pore over a series of Time-Life books with gold lettering and brown covers. They’d transport him to a land of cowboys,...
Police seeking West Newton man accused of beating up 1-year-old boy
Police are on the look for a West Newton man who allegedly beat up a 1-year-old boy Thursday while the child’s mother was at work. Troopers said Salvatore Albert Salvio, 24, stole a car and cell phone belonging to the boy’s mother after she returned to her Sewickley Township home...
Police: Drugs, guns seized in raids at 2 Jeannette homes
Drugs, six guns and $3,500 were seized Thursday from two Jeannette homes during raids by city police, agents from the state Attorney General’s office and members of the Pennsylvania National Guard, according to police Chief Shannon Binda. Charges were filed Friday against five adults in connection with the raids on...
