Justin Vellucci stories, Page 3
‘You gonna meet death, cuz’: Victim’s defiant words caught on video in Homewood slaying
A Braddock man filmed himself on a cellphone video accusing a “childhood friend” of plotting to “do something to me” moments before police say that friend fatally shot him outside a Pittsburgh bar last month. In six expletive-laced videos, Kevin Venson, 55, insulted and threatened Sean Carter on Sept. 12...
Police chief named to head new regional force for Swissvale, Braddock Hills
The new police force set to begin patrolling Swissvale and Braddock Hills next year now has a leader. Veteran Swissvale police Chief Charles Watson was selected Monday night to lead the Swissvale Braddock Hills Regional Police Department, whose 18 full-time officers start Jan. 1. The appointment, made by a seven-member...
Lawsuit claims officials wrongly forced Muslim woman to remove hijab at Pittsburgh courthouse
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County violated a Muslim woman’s constitutional rights to religious freedom and protection from unreasonable searches when officials forced her last year to remove her hijab, a religious head covering, when taking an ID photo in a municipal courthouse, a federal lawsuit filed Thursday claimed. Candace Dyer Bey...
Social media influencer charged after jumping into Pittsburgh zoo enclosure
Police have charged an Ohio social media influencer with hopping a fence on his birthday last month at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s elephant enclosure, where he was nearly trampled twice by the animal. “Almost elephant food,” the man, 19-year-old Noah Thomas, captioned a video of the encounter posted to...
Steelers vs. Bengals: What they’re saying in Cincinnati after Steelers’ loss
One headline that roared Friday morning in the Cincinnati Enquirer summarized most of what those in Ohio’s third-largest city were saying after the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers the night before at Paycor Stadium: How Joe Flacco saved the Bengals’ season in win over Steelers. “See, Cincinnati Bengals can...
Monroeville man killed in crash on I-79 berm
A driver was killed and his passenger seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash early Wednesday on a berm along Interstate 79, state police said. Travis Brown, 37, of Monroeville was driving a Ford Explorer northbound on I-79 in South Fayette around 3:15 a.m. when his SUV hit a vehicle stopped...
Motorcyclist killed on I-279 in Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh man was killed when he lost control of his motorcyle late Tuesday and crashed on Interstate 279 in the city, Pennsylvania State Police said. Derrick Johnson, Jr., 23, was driving southbound on the highway in a “careless” manner around 11:55 p.m., police said. Johnson lost control of his...
Man dies following shooting in Aliquippa
A 24-year-old man has died after a shooting in Aliquippa, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Wednesday. Gevod Tyson, who is listed only as living outside Allegheny County, died at 9:05 p.m. Tuesday at an area hospital, the medical examiner said. TribLive news partner WTAE had reported that one person...
Morning Roundup: 2 injured in Cranberry mobile home fire; coroner identifies Homewood shooting victim
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 15: 2 injured in Cranberry mobile home fire Two people were taken to the hospital early Wednesday after a mobile home fire in Butler County. Firefighters were called to the home on York Road in Cranberry around...
Pittsburgh airport joins others in nation in not playing Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown
Airports big and small — including Pittsburgh International Airport — will not play a video with a message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impacts on Transportation Security Administration operations. Airports in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas,...
Steelers’ minority owner killed in ATV accident in North Carolina
The CEO of a North Carolina corporation, who bought a minority stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers from a Steel City-bred billionaire, died in an all-terrain vehicle crash over the weekend, the business he founded said Monday. Doug Lebda was 55. In a company announcement, LendingTree confirmed that Lebda died Sunday...
Truck driver killed, traffic diverted after crash on Pennsylvania Turnpike
A 47-year-old man died early Tuesday after his truck struck a concrete barrier and bridge pier, then burst into flames on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, shutting down the highway for hours between Bedford County and New Stanton, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The man, who authorities have not named, was driving...
Morning Roundup: Police say man fired shots at Braddock Hills bar; Pittsburgh to collect yard debris
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 14: Police say man fired shots at Braddock Hills bar An East Pittsburgh man was being held Tuesday without bail in the Allegheny County Jail after he allegedly fired multiple shots at an area bar after the...
Police charge North Side man with animal cruelty after finding malnourished dogs
A Pittsburgh man was arrested Sunday on animal cruelty charges after one of the dogs in his care died and police found three others “severely malnourished” inside the man’s North Side home. Xavier Williams, 37, of Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood was arraigned early Monday on a total of 29 charges, including...
‘I’d absolutely do it again’: 911 dispatcher recounts freeing drivers from fiery Parkway West crash
Emergency dispatcher Brian Craig was driving home from an overnight shift around 6 a.m. Saturday when he saw two cars in flames after they had collided on the Parkway West in Robinson. The former police officer and firefighter said Monday he didn’t think about what to do next. His years...
Pirates fans trek to remains of Forbes Field to relive iconic Mazeroski home runVideo
On Oct. 13, 1960, Tom Richards missed one of the most iconic moments in Pittsburgh sports history. Monday afternoon, the retired police officer tried to make things right. Richards joined more than 100 Pittsburgh Pirates fans at what remains of Forbes Field in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood to listen to a...
Duquesne hoops player could have assault charge reduced by completing domestic violence program
An assault charge against a Duquesne University basketball player accused of punching his then-girlfriend in August will be reduced to a non-traffic citation if he completes a domestic violence program. The deal was worked out between Maximus Edwards’ lawyer and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, which said it reviewed...
At ceremony for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, grieving families find hope in ‘The White Pumpkin’
White pumpkins were everywhere Sunday at Independence Health System’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month ceremony. The pale gourd serves as a symbol for babies who die during infancy or pregnancy, inspired by “The White Pumpkin,” a poem written by a mother who suffered such a loss. Children whose brothers...
Baby Apple Cheeks competition steals the show at bustling festival
The amphitheater stage at a Salem farm felt familiar to Courtney Juliano on Saturday as the Murrysville native paraded her infant son in front of three judges at the Apple ’n Arts Festival. Cameron, just 6 months old, didn’t seem upset to go home without a prize in the annual...
Man headed to trial for homicide by vehicle in deadly, 5-car crash in North Hills
A distracted dump truck driver who allegedly was taking part in a Facetime call when he triggered a deadly five-car crash in Pittsburgh’s North Hills is headed to court on charges including homicide by vehicle. A judge Friday held a preliminary hearing for Franklin R. Simon, 33, of South Union,...
War, apartment fire punctuate Ukrainian woman’s unexpectedly long stay in Western Pa.
Nadiia Koshykova packed light on Dec. 12, 2021, when she traveled by rail, then by plane, from her native Ukraine to visit her son’s family in their Ohio Township home. “I have one suitcase — winter clothes,” Koshykova, 66, said. “I wanted to see America and then return back to...
Beaver County DA: ATF agent justified in fatal shooting of Aliquippa teen
A teen killed in Aliquippa by a federal agent last month was the first to pull the trigger, shooting twice with a semiautomatic handgun before the officer returned fire, Beaver County District Attorney Nathan Bible announced Wednesday. Kendrick Curtis Jr., 18, was shot around 6:20 p.m. Sept. 18 on steps...
Man on trial for killing his mom in Homestead acts as own lawyer
The accused stood nervously in front of an Allegheny County jury and pledged to prove he didn’t kill his mother and her friend in Homestead last year. Defendant John Malcolm Smith V, 26, of McKeesport was acting as his own lawyer Tuesday, the start of his double homicide trial. He’s...
‘A part of you dies’: Pittsburgh vigil recalls homicide victims, 1 mother’s loss
The organizers of a “stop the violence” rally and prayer vigil held Thursday night at a church in Pittsburgh’s St. Clair neighborhood got all the details right. They lined the maroon-carpeted altar steps of The Lighthouse Cathedral with a row of 39 white votive candles, their flaming wicks replaced with...
Pittsburgh woman killed by PRT bus lived near accident site
A pedestrian struck and killed Monday by a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus lived just feet from where she was hit, a transit agency spokesman told TribLive Wednesday. The transit agency bus operating on the 6 Spring Hill route hit Dana Fountain, 50, of the city’s Spring Hill neighborhood, near the...
