Tony LaRussa stories, Page 26
Tarentum police say woman admitted to dealing drugs after heroin found in car following crash
Tarentum police say a woman admitted to being a drug dealer when heroin was found in her vehicle after crashing into a guardrail. Danielle Ann Taylor, 47, of the 800 block of Third Avenue in Brackenridge, was charged with a felony count of possession of drugs with the intent to...
15 pounds of pot, crack, illegal guns confiscated in raid on Arnold home
Police say they found three garbage bags filled with nearly 15 pounds of marijuana along with crack cocaine, guns and other evidence of a drug-dealing operation when they raided a house in Arnold and arrested two brothers. Malique Jamal Black, 24, and Tresean Black, 22, who both live in the...
Bomb squad responds to Sewickley after suspicious duffle bag spotted
The Allegheny County Bomb Squad was dispatched to a municipal parking lot in Sewickley on Sunday night after a passerby noticed a suspicious-looking bag and called 911, according to authorities. An x-ray of the bag’s contents by a bomb squad technician determined that it contained a portable vehicle jump-starting kit...
Springdale police accuse tree trimmer of failing to finish work after cashing check
Springdale police charged the owner of a tree trimming company with felony counts of fraud after a homeowner accused him of cashing a check for work that was never completed. John Francis Kotvas Jr., 38, whose last known address was in the 400 block of Short Street in Plum, faces...
State AG accuses used car dealer of selling unsafe cars with useless warranties; owner denies wrongdoing
The state Attorney General’s Office has taken legal action against a Sharpsburg used car dealership accused of knowingly selling numerous vehicles that weren’t roadworthy and came with worthless warranties. Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Friday announced his office has filed a lawsuit against JK Motor Cars at 1214 Main St....
West Deer woman accused of beating, sexually assaulting 7-year-old girl faces multiple felony charges
A West Deer woman faces multiple felony charges after a girl told authorities she was beaten and sexually assaulted by the woman multiple times. Kerren Amanda Morra, 28, of Hampshire Lane was charged with two counts of aggravated indecent assault and counts of unlawful contact with a minor and endangering...
Richland officials OK 35-unit Rachel Carson EcoVillage on Eden Hall campus
Chatham University’s plans to build a 35-unit private residential community based on social and environmental sustainability at its Eden Hall campus have been given the green light by Richland officials. Development plans for the Rachel Carson EcoVillage, which was a part of the Eden Hall master plan before the campus...
Police: Pair face felony charge for stabbing each other with fork during dispute
Two people from Springdale were charged with a felony after each of them told police the other person stabbed them with a fork. Gary Joseph Turner, 64, and Theresa Marie Smiesko, 50, both of the 600 block of Lincoln Avenue, were charged with a felony count of aggravated assault in...
Lower Burrell couple charged with fraud over insurance claim on jewelry
A Lower Burrell couple face fraud charges after police say they filed an insurance claim for gold and diamond jewelry and a Louis Vuitton handbag they reported stolen after selling the items. William Leonard Klems II, 41, and Kaylyn Leeann Klems, 31, of the 100 block of Chippawa Drive, each...
Police: 1 of 2 women scuffling charged with felony after punching cop trying to break them up
A New Kensington police officer who was trying to break up a fight between two women has charged one of them with felony aggravated assault after she began punching him in the head. Katelyn Marie Conrad, 27, of the 1800 block of Leishman Avenue also faces charges of simple assault...
Gilpin police investigating whether neighbor was justified shooting 3 dogs after 1 bit woman
Gilpin police are investigating whether the shooting of three dogs Sunday was justified after one of them bit a neighbor. Police Chief Christopher Fabec said the dogs were shot after one of them bit a woman from a neighboring property multiple times on the leg and thigh. She was treated...
Trooper: Vandergrift man admits to dealing drugs after car pulled over for speeding
State police say a Vandergrift man who was a passenger in a car that was pulled over for speeding admitted to dealing drugs after the trooper found narcotics in his possession. Donald Charles Riggle, 37, of Franklin Avenue was charged with a felony count of possession with the intent to...
Arnold woman charged with assaulting 2 girls, adult
An Arnold woman is accused of assaulting two young girls and the mother of one of them while meeting to discuss a previous assault. Leeda Marie Settle, 33, of the 1700 block of Leishman Avenue was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault on a person under the age...
Altmeyer’s chain files for bankruptcy after 81 years; all locations closed
Altmeyer’s, a family-owned retail home goods chain that started in the basement of a New Kensington tavern 81 years ago and grew to multiple locations in the region, has filed for bankruptcy. The company’s board of directors on Sunday, July 10, authorized its president, Robert Altmeyer, who is the grandson...
Warrant issued for masonry contractor accused of taking deposit from Apollo man, not doing work
An arrest warrant has been issued for a masonry contractor accused of taking money from an Apollo man to repoint the chimney on a home he owns and then never showing up to do the work. Timothy Keith Tarr, 36, of the 200 block of Mayo Street in Salem Township...
Brothers plead guilty to 2019 fatal shooting in Penn Hills home invasion
Two brothers accused of killing a Penn Hills man during a home invasion in late 2019 pleaded guilty this week to criminal homicide and other charges. Laron Cornell Howard, 22, and Laquon Khylil Perkins, 21, both of Swissvale, each were charged with criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and conspiracy in connection...
Pine-Richland’s 2022-23 budget holds property-tax rate 6th consecutive year
Pine-Richland School District’s 2022-23 budget calls for spending to increase by 5.8%, but keeps the property-tax rate at the same level for the sixth consecutive year. The more than $101.35 million budget — up from $95.75 million for the 2021-22 school year — was approved unanimously by the school board...
Police say woman who reported thefts charged with felony after video shows her firing gun
A Tarentum woman who told police her boyfriend stole her cellphone and a $3,000 pair of eyeglasses faces a felony gun charge. Tanishia Teyla Allen-Colvin, 37, of the 600 block of East Seventh Avenue was charged with a count of carrying a firearm without a license along with reckless endangerment...
Police: Woman arrested on warrant faces felony for trying to conceal heroin in her underwear
New Kensington police charged a woman wanted on an warrants with a felony after they said she lied about having drugs in her possession when she was arrested for driving with a license that was suspended for DUI. Ashley Rae Karns, 38, was charged with felony possession of contraband by...
New contract calls for some workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital to get raises up to 26% over next 3 years
Union workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison are lauding a new three-year pact that will raise the hourly wage of some employees by as much as 26% over the next three years. Members of Service Employee International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania began negotiations with Allegheny Health Network officials in early...
Vandergrift man pleads guilty in federal court to robbing Apollo Trust Bank last July
A Vandergrift man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to robbing the Apollo Trust Bank last July. Bradley Mondi, 35, was accused of using “intimidation” to rob the tellers of $6,666 when he walked into the bank in North Apollo at around 2 p.m. on July 12, 2021, and pulled...
Cheswick couple charged with hiding meth, heroin in candy bag
A Cheswick couple face multiple felony drug charges after Allegheny Valley Regional Police accused them of selling heroin and crystal meth they packaged in a candy bag. Joseph Sciulli, 37, and Danielle Taylor, 47, of the 1400 block of Freeport Road each were charged with four felony counts of delivery...
Vandergrift man accused of molesting girl starting when she was 6 jailed on $2 million bond
West Deer police accused a Vandergrift man of sexually assaulting a girl several times a week over a six-year period starting when she was 6. Justin Michael Jahoda, 36, of Sycamore Street was charged with a dozen felony counts that include aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent...
Blawnox man — off-duty officer — slain in apparent road rage incident remembered for desire to serve
The only thing Charles “Chuckie” Stipetich ever dreamed about while growing up was becoming a Marine and a police officer. So it was no surprise to his parents when the Fox Chapel Area High School student joined the military after graduating in 2017. “It’s all he talked about while growing...
Man sought by U.S. marshals on warrant arrested in New Kensington; felony gun charges filed
A man being sought by U.S. marshals was charged with illegal possession of a handgun after New Kensington police helped take him into custody. In addition to a felony gun charge, Richard Joseph Mautino, 20, of the 500 block of Fourth Avenue was charged with felony flight to avoid apprehension...
