Renatta Signorini stories, Page 74
Hempfield man sentenced to house arrest, probation for DUI where party-goers were hurt
A Hempfield man was sentenced to six months house arrest and five years probation on drunken-driving charges stemming from a 2020 incident in which he ran over three people in Derry Township. Dominic G. Bellone, 22, was acquitted during a February nonjury trial of several felony offenses related to the...
Monessen man acquitted in alleged sexual assault
A Monessen man was acquitted Friday in connection with a 2019 reported sexual assault. Deandre Frezzell, 23, was found not guilty of rape, sexual assault, indecent assault and strangulation. A Pitcairn woman had accused Frezzell, who she met through a friend, of raping her at his home in May 2019...
‘Don’t pull over’ in the midst of a road rage incident, trooper advises
An angry honk and hand gesture might be the extent of it. But sometimes an aggressive driving situation fuels a motorist’s anger and it escalates into a potentially dangerous encounter. Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Adam Reed said such incidents can carry serious legal ramifications, ranging from a summary citation to...
Greensburg woman found incompetent for trial in 2021 mattress fire
A Greensburg woman accused of setting a mattress on fire outside a three-unit apartment house last year was found incompetent to stand trial. Gina M. Albertelli, 55, is charged with arson, reckless burning and related offenses in the May 22, 2021, incident. She is being treated at Torrance State Hospital...
Fatal crashes over Fourth of July holiday drop by almost half, state police report
Fatal crashes statewide over the Fourth of July holiday dropped by about half this year in areas patrolled by Pennsylvania State Police, according to statistics released this week. Troopers reported investigating four such crashes — none of which involved alcohol — that claimed as many lives between Friday and Monday...
Delmont man accused of shooting at neighbor’s home to be reevaluated for trial
A Delmont man will be reevaluated to determine whether he is now able to help with his defense after years of delays in a 2019 attempted homicide case. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Timothy Krieger said Tuesday he will order a competency reevaluation for Terrance Kurhansky, 82. Rebecca Trout, program...
Police chase from New Alexandria to Latrobe reached speeds of 90 mph
A New Alexandria man is free on unsecured bail after state police said he led them on a chase through a campground near Keystone State Park during the Fourth of July weekend. Police said they apprehended Luis A. Marsales, 26, along Loyalhanna Creek in Latrobe. He is charged with fleeing...
Authorities confiscate 7,400 pills, break up Westmoreland counterfeit pill supply chain
A suspected cross-country supplier of counterfeit pills containing deadly opioid fentanyl was jailed Friday in the largest bust of its kind in Westmoreland County, according to court papers. Police said they confiscated from an East Huntingdon home 7,400 pills designed to look like legitimate OxyContin but lab testing showed they...
State Rep. Dowling to retire, remove name from ballot after drunken-driving charges filed
State Rep. Matt Dowling announced Friday that he intends to remove his name from November’s ballot and retire at the end of his term. The move comes a day after state police filed drunken-driving charges against him in connection with a June 4 crash in Fayette County. Dowling, 37, R-Fayette/Somerset,...
Traveling memorial on display at Patriot Park site in Somerset County
A traveling American flag memorial is on display at a Somerset County site dedicated to honoring those who fought and died in the global war on terror. The Veterans & Athletes United’s Fallen Hero Memorial is made of 7,056 dog tags and includes 50 gold stars in recognition of Gold...
2 arrested after crystal meth, $7,000 found in SUV in Unity
Two people are facing drug charges after authorities said they found about $7,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine in a vehicle they were using, according to court papers. Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies were attempting to serve a bench warrant on Collin Quakenbush 26, of Bradenville, before 8 a.m. Wednesday in Unity...
Derry Township man accused of having child pornography
A Derry Township man was jailed Wednesday after state police said they found files of child pornography on his cell phone, according to court papers. Randy Ronald Smith, 23, is charged with child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. Troopers said they got a tip Feb. 13 from...
3 arrested in theft of 34 catalytic converters from Salem dealership
Tips from the public helped state police identify three men who they believe were involved with the theft of 34 catalytic converters worth $50,000 from vehicles at a Salem RV dealer in October, according to court papers. Troopers said several people reported recognizing Kenneth L. Knight Jr., 43, of Jeannette,...
State police seeking help to identify man who fled New Stanton traffic stop
State police are seeking the public’s help to identify a man who fled from a traffic stop earlier this month in New Stanton. Trooper James Daggett said he pulled over a black Honda near a West Byers Avenue hotel around 8:30 a.m. June 15 for a registration issue and illegal...
$90K worth of raw fentanyl seized, man arrested after bust in Ligonier Borough
About $90,000 worth of raw fentanyl in powder form was confiscated from a Cambria County man Tuesday after an arrest in Ligonier Borough, according to authorities. Cortez M. Haselrig, 25, who lives near Johnstown, is being held at Westmoreland County Prison on charges of drug possession, criminal use of a...
2 charged in fatal Unity drug overdose
Two Jeannette men are charged with drug delivery resulting in death in connection with a March 2021 fatal overdose in Unity, according to court papers. Stephen A. Piper, 34, is free on $25,000 unsecured bail. Bail for Andrey L. Young, 42, was set at $10,000. He was being held at...
Jeannette discrimination case closed after state commission finds insufficient evidence
A complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has been closed after the agency found a former Jeannette city employee and current councilwoman did not provide sufficient evidence of discrimination while on the job. Michelle Langdon filed the discrimination complaint last year against the city. It was closed last month,...
2 charged in rash of vehicle break-ins in Westmoreland County
Two people are facing charges in connection with more than two dozen vehicle break-ins across Westmoreland County, according to court papers. Troopers said the suspects — Shelby Lynn Stamm, 26, of Youngstown and John Mitchell Hughes, 30, of Orlando, Fla. — stole cash, guns, designer sunglasses, wallets and other items....
$121M project set to begin at Route 51 interchange in Rostraver
The reconstruction of the Interstate 70 and Route 51 interchange in Rostraver has the distinction of being the highest-dollar-value project ever bid in PennDOT’s District 12. Golden Triangle Construction Co. in Oakdale was the winning bidder at $120.6 million. Work has gotten underway, but the impact for motorists will be minimal...
Plum man accused of stealing 2 loaded handguns in Washington Township
A Plum man is accused by police of stealing two loaded handguns in Washington Township after officers came in contact with him twice in less than seven hours, according to court papers. Brandon M. Wise, 39, is being held without bail at the Westmoreland County jail on charges of drug...
Scammers steal $11K from Somerset County after posing as commissioner, police say
State police are investigating after someone who posed as a Somerset County commissioner stole $11,295 from the county. Troopers said in a news release that the county treasurer’s office received on June 8 an email, believed to be from a county commissioner, which requested a wire transfer to a company...
Jeannette City tax increase spurred by decrease in property values, school leaders say
Jeannette City School District property taxpayers will see their bills go up by 1 mill after the school board approved the increase in the $23 million 2022-23 budget. District interim business manager Dale Kirsch and superintendent Matthew Jones said the rate will rise to 89 mills, which is about average...
Unity man jailed in connection with theft of 7 guns
A Unity man was jailed Tuesday on state police accusations that he stole seven guns from a relative’s home, according to court papers. Troopers said Caleb A. Krisfalusi, 19, sold the guns to two shops. Police recovered the firearms and returned them to the relative who lives in Cook. Krisfalusi...
Man stripped to underwear, socks after incident at Greensburg pharmacy, police say
A man is being held without bail in a crime spree Sunday that, police say, ended when he stripped to his underwear and socks and was arrested while pushing a shopping cart full of stolen goods on a main thoroughfare in Greensburg, according to court papers. Alex M. Kerestesy, 31,...
Police: Jeannette man arrested after trying to flee traffic stop
A Jeannette man is behind bars after police said he tried to run from a traffic stop and had several types of drugs in his SUV, according to court papers. Brandon A. Iapalucci, 28, told investigators that nine blue pills they found him in possession of were pressed fentanyl. The...
