Pittsburgh man accused of threats against New Kensington police to serve probation for trashing jail cell

A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Wednesday to serve a year on probation after he pleaded guilty to charges of escape and that he vandalized a holding cell following his arrest last summer in New Kensington.

Daevar Lamont Stevens, 21, will remain behind bars, though, to answer a new set of charges filed last week following an incident in which New Kensington police officers claimed he threatened their lives and those of their family members after he was arrested on unrelated charges Jan. 21.

Stevens pleaded guilty Wednesday to counts of escape, drug possession and institutional vandalism in connection with an incident last July 15, in which police said he trashed a holding cell after he was arrested and charged with drug offenses. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears, as part of the probation sentence imposed Wednesday, ordered Stevens to be evaluated for drug and alcohol abuse and follow any recommended treatment.

According to court records, Stevens was arrested after police responded to a report of an unconscious man on Constitution Boulevard. Stevens was in medical distress.

But police say he was in possession of drugs and attempted to flee while handcuffed.

Police claimed that Stevens threatened to fight officers and broke a bed in his holding cell following his arrest.

While free on bail as he awaited trial on those offenses, New Kensington police arrested Stevens last week on warrant that alleged he possessed a stolen car. During that arrest, police claim Stevens made the death threats.

Stevens is scheduled to appear Feb. 4 before New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. for a preliminary hearing on charges he made terroristic threats against police officers a count of receiving stolen property.