Week in review: cattle truck crash; Pittsburgh detective shot

A truck crash on the turnpike had officials wrangling cattle, Robert Levin is coming out of retirement to save his family’s furniture company, and a Pittsburgh detective was injured in a shootout. Here’s a look back at the week’s top stories.

Cattle truck crash

Four calves died and more than a hundred others were placed in a temporary corral after a truck carrying livestock crashed on an off-ramp near Irwin, according to Pennsylvania Turnpike officials. The driver of the truck was not injured in the crash, which occurred early Tuesday morning, turnpike officials said. The truck hit the median and jackknifed as it was exiting the turnpike. It was carrying 135 calves. Part of the double-decker trailer’s second level collapsed, injuring animals on the bottom level, said Lori Mozina, chief coordinator of the Westmoreland/Fayette/Allegheny County Animal Response Team. First responders set up a corral to hold the cows until the trucking company sent another truck to pick up the 127 uninjured calves and take them to their destination in Ohio, Mozina said. Three Allegheny Equine Associates veterinarians checked the animals one by one, she said. Four calves were injured and taken to Allegheny Equine for further treatment.

David Crawley sues KDKA

Longtime Pittsburgh television news reporter David Crawley claims in a federal lawsuit he was discriminated against because of his age and retaliated against by his employer, KDKA-TV and its parent company CBS Corp., after he was hurt in a 2017 stunt he was assigned to do during the Three Rivers Regatta. Crawley, 72, was hurt after plunging off a 22-foot pier into the river in a contraption to promote the 2017 Red Bull Flugtag event. Crawley suffered injuries to his spleen, his diaphragm and a traumatic brain injury, among other ailments after the Aug. 4, 2017, fall, according to the suit. Although he returned to work for 10 days afterward, he didn’t feel well and on Aug. 21, 2017, Crawley collapsed while covering a story, according to the suit, and he’s been unable to work since then. A separate lawsuit filed in July 2019 against EQT Three Rivers Regatta and Red Bull is making its way through Allegheny County’s court system. The new suit claims KDKA and CBS Corp. retaliated against Crawley for his workers’ compensation claim filed because of the injuries. It also alleges age discrimination.

Cop-killer’s cousin convicted

A Westmoreland County jury Thursday convicted a New Kensington woman of helping her cousin avoid capture and disposing of the handgun prosecutors say was used to kill a city police officer.

Jurors deliberated seven hours over two days before finding Lisa Harrington, 33, guilty on four counts of hindering the apprehension of Rahmael Holt, tampering with evidence and a firearms offense.

Holt was convicted last year of first-degree murder for killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw and was sentenced to death.

“I can’t believe it. I’m going to jail for something I didn’t do,” Harrington said, sobbing, as she was led away from the courtroom in handcuffs.

Robert Levin buys back company

Robert Levin is buying back his family’s business for an undisclosed sum after a “last-minute” deal with Michigan-based parent company Art Van Furniture LLC, which is entering bankruptcy.

Levin, 63, said he was delighted to be back after a short-lived retirement.

Levin’s was sold to Art Van in 2017.

Art Van announced Thursday it was entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company will close its stores and liquidate assets unless a buyer can be found.

Levin had sales of $220 million in 2017, the year it was sold, and has the No. 1 market share in the markets where it operates, Levin said.

The agreement includes acquiring Levin’s Pennsylvania and Ohio assets and Altoona-based Wolf Furniture, which Art Van also bought in 2017.

“Most importantly, we’ve saved 1,200 jobs (at both Pennsylvania companies),” Levin said.

Detective injured, suspect dead in shootout

A Pittsburgh police detective was shot in the leg and a suspect was killed during a traffic stop shootout on East Ohio Street in the city’s North Side just before 7 p.m. Thursday night, police say.

“Fortunately, he is going to make it,” Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich told reporters at about 9 p.m.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office has identified the suspect as Elijah Jamaal Brewer, 25, of Pittsburgh.

Brewer was fatally shot during the incident at East Ohio Street and Madison Avenue, near the ramps to northbound Interstate 279 and Route 28.

Four detectives stopped the vehicle, which was carrying a driver and Brewer, according to Allegheny County Police, who are investigating the shooting.

The driver of the vehicle fled during the shooting. The driver was captured and detained, but is not currently in custody, county police said.