Facing long prison sentences, 2 defendants ask to withdraw guilty pleas in Arnold shooting

Two defendants who were set to be sentenced Tuesday in connection with a drive-by shooting in Arnold instead asked to withdraw their guilty pleas.

Tishan Lowe Jr., 33, and Imani Patterson, 27, both of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty in March to multiple felony counts, including aggravated assault, conspiracy and weapons offenses in connection with the Oct. 17, 2022, shooting.

Prosecutors dismissed charges of attempted first-degree homicide.

In the months since then, both suspects decided they wanted to withdraw their pleas, said attorney Owen Seman, who represents Lowe.

According to court records, surveillance video showed Lowe and Patterson getting out of an SUV on Kenneth Avenue around 11:30 a.m. and firing multiple shots at two passengers in another vehicle as it drove by.

Officers said they heard the gunshots and followed a speeding vehicle through Arnold and into New Kensington, East Deer, Tarentum, Brackenridge and Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood at speeds that, at times, exceeded 100 mph. The suspects crashed into a New Kensington police vehicle.

Assistant District Attorney James Lazar asked for a hearing on the defense request and said he plans to get a copy of the transcript from the plea hearing.

“If there’s a basis to oppose that, I’ll do that,” he said. “I knew that there was a possibility of this … but I didn’t know until this morning that this was happening.”

Lazar said he hoped the judge would use a sentence of 10 to 20 years as a starting point for the pair. Judge Scott Mears said he was considering imposing lengthy sentences on Tuesday, given the accusations and their criminal history.

Seman said unsuccessful attempts were made to come to an agreement on a recommended sentence with prosecutors during plea negotiations.

“We’re at a position here, we’re at a rock and a hard place, where we have to make a decision,” he said.

No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting. Both Lowe and Patterson have been in jail without bail since their arrest the day of the incident.