Morning Roundup: Police accuse man of reckless driving in Mt. Washington; Pittsburgh Water rate hikes considered

Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Wednesday, July 30:

Police accuse man of reckless driving in Mt. Washington

Pittsburgh police said they arrested a man for reckless driving Tuesday evening in the city’s Mt. Washington neighborhood.

Officers were on a neighborhood patrol in Mt. Washington after repeated community complaints of reckless driving and street racing. They said they witnessed a man on what they described as a “race-style motorcycle” speeding and stunt driving on Grandview Avenue toward Kearsarge Street around 8 p.m.

Public safety officials said the motorcycle was not registered.

Officers attempted to pull the motorcycle over, but they said the driver was moving so fast, they were unable to stop him safely. They lost sight of the motorcyclist as he turned onto Wyoming Street.

Officers said they spotted the same motorcycle about an hour later as the driver passed them and parked in the 300 block of Grandview Avenue.

According to their report, police parked in front of the motorcycle and tried to approach the driver, but he started the motorcycle, accelerated and hit the open driver’s side door of the police vehicle, forcing an officer back into the driver’s seat. A second officer said they tried to grab the driver, but he took off and dumped his bike to the ground.

The driver, who police identified as Dominick Kurpakus, 25, ran from the officer before surrendering to police.

Karpakus denied medical treatment and was taken to the Allegheny County Jail.

He faces charges of reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, flight to avoid apprehension and multiple vehicle code violations.

Public gets a chance to weigh in on Pittsburgh Water rate hikes

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will have a series of public hearings for Pittsburgh Water customers to weigh in on proposed rate hikes.

The public hearings are scheduled for Aug 12: 1 p.m. at the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center in the Hill District; and 6 p.m. at the Healthy Active Living Center in Hazelwood. Two telephone hearings are slated for 1 and 6 p.m. Aug. 13.

People can register for the meetings online.

If approved, Pittsburgh Water’s proposed rate hikes would increase the average residential customer’s monthly bill from about $100.27 to $123.02, a 22.7% jump next year. It would then go up again — to about $135.49, a further 10.1% increase — in 2027.

Customers enrolled in the Bill Discount Program would see smaller increases, according to the utility company.

Pittsburgh Water since 2018 has invested more than $898 million to improve critical drinking water infrastructure, remove lead service lines, build new stormwater infrastructure and rehabilitate century-old sewer mains. The rate increases, Pittsburgh Water said, would allow the public utility to continue such efforts.

The increased rates would provide funding to complete mandated infrastructure improvements, expand capacity and keep up with increasing operating costs because of inflation.