Renatta Signorini stories, Page 79
Jeannette eyes 6 properties for demolition
Six properties in Jeannette are slated for demolition as the city continues its fight against blight. Council unanimously accepted the lowest bid Thursday for the project from Lutterman Excavating of Greensburg for $62,000. Chief fiscal officer Ethan Keedy said the money will come from the city’s 2019 and 2020 Community...
Woman sentenced to probation in Irwin stabbing
An Irwin woman was ordered Thursday to spend two years on probation in connection with a stabbing earlier this year. Lori Jo Olsen, 53, pleaded guilty to a count of simple assault. An attempted homicide charge previously was withdrawn. She completed a drug and alcohol evaluation and is continuing mental...
Quecreek Mine rescue anniversary events begin Saturday
Several activities are planned starting this weekend leading up to the 20th anniversary of the Quecreek Mine rescue. The plans include a car cruise and celebrations at the Somerset County rescue site, among others. The events will commemorate the rescue of nine miners after they accidentally broke into an abandoned...
Underage curfew violators could face $1,000 penalty in Jeannette
Child scofflaws of Jeannette’s 11 p.m. curfew will be facing hefty penalties of up to $1,000 under a revamped proposed ordinance. Police have been having issues with children out late at night and Chief Donald Johnston and Mayor Curtis Antoniak said the update is needed to address the problem. The...
Greensburg man accused of sexual assault of boy
A Greensburg man is accused of sexually assaulting a boy twice in 2007 in exchange for Pokemon cards, according to court papers. Jared C. Painter, 33, was arrested Monday on charges of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child and indecent assault of a person younger than...
Judge orders forfeiture of 17 guns possessed by Unity man, suspect in disappearance
Seventeen guns belonging to a Unity man suspected in the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross were ordered to be forfeited in an unrelated federal weapons case. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak on Monday granted a preliminary forfeiture order in the case against Thomas G. Stanko, 51. The order...
Signs on Route 30 in Ligonier Township mark spot Arthur St. Clair lived out his final days
The pair of historical markers might catch some glances as motorists whizz by on Route 30. But there’s no time to take in their significance on a small patch of land in Ligonier Township around a bend in the highway. A yellow and blue marker erected by the Pennsylvania Historical...
Course offering high school students insight on a career with state police expands to Westmoreland County
A new Pennsylvania State Police 14-week program for high school students is expanding into Westmoreland County this fall. Trooper Clint Long, who works in the recruiting services section, said the free program will help teens ages 15 to 18 understand the role of the agency and its troopers, as well...
Police: Texas trucker jailed after breaking into South Huntingdon horse barn, fighting with troopers
A state trooper was accidentally tased Saturday evening while attempting to arrest a Texas truck driver accused of trying to break into a South Huntingdon garage, according to court papers. Police said Simran P. Virk, 31, of San Antonio, was foaming at the mouth and had used synthetic marijuana and...
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...
