An assistant chief in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office who is facing criminal charges has resigned.
Richard McDonald, 56, of Oakdale submitted his resignation within the past several days, his attorney, Robert Del Greco Jr., confirmed Wednesday.
McDonald, who started with the DA’s office in May 2018, received $125,723 annually.
A message left with the district attorney’s office was not immediately returned.
McDonald is charged with burglary, simple assault, harassment and recklessly endangering another person in connection with an incident Nov. 12.
According to the criminal complaint, McDonald went to the home of a woman he previously dated in the city’s Oakwood neighborhood in the West End, walked in and assaulted her and a man who was present.
The two told police that they were upstairs that afternoon when they heard a man’s voice downstairs. They went to the top of the stairwell and saw McDonald, who ran up the stairs, pushed the woman aside and punched the man, according to the complaint.
Then, the complaint said, McDonald dragged the woman down the steps by her hair, pulled a gun and pointed it at the man.
McDonald then left, authorities said.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.
McDonald worked as a Pittsburgh police officer from 1989 through 2002, then served as a special agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office until 2006.
He was hired to be the police chief for Ellwood City in 2007 but was unable to be certified through the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission because he was taking a pain medication prescribed after he was injured in a line-of-duty accident.
He then served in Ellwood City as public safety director for about 18 months.
