My compliments to Rich Cholodofsky for his well-written article “Westmoreland DA crash racks up nearly $33,000 in SUV repairs” (Feb. 16, TribLIVE). This is what investigative journalism should be — unbiased reportage, allowing readers to form their own opinions.
With that said, why is county District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli “claiming 60% of the miles put on her county-provided vehicle in 2022 were for personal use” yet providing no documentation? Who among us has a taxpayer-financed vehicle for personal use? Repairs for this “minor” collision are estimated at $32,700 on a vehicle valued at $33,000.
The county sheriff/deputies, those working in weights and measures and the county coroner require a county vehicle, but not the county DA.
In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate but equally important groups: the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. How often does the DA get called to a crime scene?
Ms. Ziccarelli, please just stop the self-serving spin and use your personal vehicle like most county employees. Focus on finding prosecutors who are paid an adequate wage so the backlog of county criminal cases can see the inside of the courtroom.
David Scandrol
Lower Burrell