New Kensington police say man seen driving stolen car threatened to kill officers, their families

A man from Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood was sent to Westmoreland County Prison without bail Wednesday because police said he threatened to kill police officers and their families as soon as he gets out of jail.

New Kensington police said they arrested Daevar Lamont Stevens, 21, about 7 p.m. Tuesday after an officer saw him walking in the 1300 block of Leishman Avenue. Police Chief Bob Deringer said Stevens was wanted on a warrant accusing him of receiving stolen property.

A criminal complaint said Stevens became irate after he was arrested and began spitting in the back of a police vehicle. The complaint said Stevens began kicking the rear passenger side of the window, trying to break it, and began yelling that after he got out he would kill police and their families.

While in a holding cell at the police station, the complaint said Stevens began spitting all over the floor, bench and bars.

The police vehicle and cell had to be professionally cleaned and sanitized, the complaint states.

The same officer who arrested Stevens said in a separate criminal complaint he knew Stevens’ license was suspended Jan. 13 when he saw him driving a green Honda Civic on Linden Avenue. The complaint said Frazer police had an alert out for that Honda, which had been reported stolen from an auto repair shop on Riddle Run Road, according to Chief Terry Kuhns.

The officer found the car parked and unoccupied in the alley between Franklin and Anderson streets.

Police charged Stevens with making terroristic threats and institutional vandalism in connection with Tuesday’s incident, along with receiving stolen property in the alleged driving of a stolen car. He does not face charges of stealing the car.

New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. denied Stevens bail during an arraignment Wednesday. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 4.