Renatta Signorini stories, Page 68
Philadelphia man charged in Allegheny County catalytic converter thefts
Authorities in two Allegheny County communities used surveillance video and cellphone records to identify a Philadelphia man as the person who they believe took $71,000 worth of catalytic converters from two car dealerships, according to court papers. Curtis B. Wallace Jr., 34, was arrested last week on charges of theft,...
Police: Man nabbed in stolen rental car in Hempfield was awaiting sentencing in bank robberies
A former McCandless man awaiting sentencing for a string of bank robberies in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties was arrested this week after authorities said he led police on a chase in a stolen rental car. Dylan M. Poole, 28, was scheduled to be sentenced in September in federal court in...
Repairs set to start on Bells Mills covered bridge damaged in hit-and-run
Repairs could begin next week on the Bells Mills Bridge after it was damaged this month during a hit-and-run. Vaughn Neill, an engineer with Westmoreland County, said the damage Sept. 21 was limited to entry woodwork and the approach railing. Structural parts of the bridge were not affected. He is...
Smithton teen accused in crude, vulgar graffiti incidents
A Smithton teen is facing several misdemeanor charges after police said he hand drew crude and vulgar graffiti on five properties, three of which are near churches, according to court papers. The vandalism included depictions of male genitalia and a racial slur, according to Smithton police. Jeffrey Schoaf Jr., 18,...
North Huntingdon man receives 25 to 50 years in prison for sexual assaults
A North Huntingdon man was sentenced Monday to 25 to 50 years in a state prison for repeatedly raping a girl and taking pornographic photographs and videos involving her. The girl testified during a sentencing hearing for John M. Wilbanks, 41, that therapy helped her realize that the sexual assaults...
Judge to determine if Jeannette man understood rights in arson case
A Westmoreland County judge is being asked to determine whether a Jeannette man was capable of understanding his rights and whether a statement he made to police in a deadly 2018 row house fire was voluntary. Brian E. Rendon, 38, is charged with homicide and arson in the April 9,...
Donegal Township man sentenced for assault of child
A Donegal Township man was sentenced Monday to 22 to 44 months in a state prison for sexually assaulting a mentally challenged child. Ronald W. Kern, 81, was ordered to spend an additional five years on probation after the prison term. He pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated indecent assault...
New Jersey man gets 3 years’ probation for deceiving Hempfield woman
A New Jersey man was sentenced Monday to three years of probation in a bail scam that netted $5,000 from a Hempfield woman who state police said was led to believe her daughter needed bail money. Noel Medrano-Abreu, 30, will remain jailed pending the outcome of a similar case in...
New Stanton man seriously hurt in Hempfield crash
A New Stanton man was seriously injured Friday after state police said he tried to pass another vehicle on Arona Road in Hempfield. A Toyota Sienna with two occupants slowed near the road’s intersection with Davinci Drive around 8:30 p.m. to make a left turn. Troopers said James D. Herrin,...
Hempfield man charged with leaving obscene messages for members of Congress
A Hempfield man who previously served jail time for harassing Black members of a Penn Township church was charged Thursday with leaving 214 obscene and racially-charged voicemails for 35 members of Congress, according to court papers. Mark Eugene Ray, 62, is charged with ethnic intimidation and two counts of harassment...
Sheetz site opens near turnpike interchange along Route 31 in Donegal
A new Sheetz gas station and convenience store opened Thursday in Donegal Township, not far from the interchange on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The new location is along Route 31, near the intersection with Route 711/Main Street. Each new store typically creates about 30 jobs, according to a spokesman. A few...
Fayette woman killed in head-on crash in Hempfield, police say
A Fayette County woman was killed in a Hempfield crash Wednesday afternoon, according to state police. Troopers said another vehicle slammed head-on into the Kia Sedona Betty J. Wagner, 73, of Franklin Township, was driving on Arona Road at 4:45 p.m. Wagner was pronounced dead at the scene. Wagner and...
Derry Township man accused of taking $21K of guns through improper use of third-party financing
A Derry Township man is accused of taking $21,000 worth of guns and accessories from a Hempfield shop after state police said he misrepresented his financing through a third-party agency, according to court papers. David J. Cochran, 23, was arraigned Tuesday on a theft by deception charge. State police said...
Greensburg state store temporarily closed
There is no timeline for the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store in Greensburg to reopen after its temporary closure in early August because of what state officials described as “potential safety concerns.” The building’s co-owner John Rause said Wednesday that he has contractors lined up to assess moisture issues...
Mt. Pleasant man facing more charges after another assault at county jail
A Mt. Pleasant man accused this week in an incident in a Westmoreland County courtroom was charged Wednesday with head-butting a second guard at the county jail in a month, according to court papers. Joe Paul Biller, 37, is facing aggravated and simple assault charges. He was being readied for...
Jeannette school district seeks new bids on former building site
Jeannette City School District is once again accepting bids for vacant property that previously held a school on South Fourth Street. Superintendent Matt Jones said directors approved a resolution Monday to seek bids for four contiguous parcels at the intersection of Cuyler and Chambers avenues and South Fourth Street. A...
Glass City Heritage Festival returns in Jeannette
Jeannette will celebrate its history as a glassmaking town during a festival Saturday on Clay Avenue. The Glass City Heritage Festival will shut down three blocks of the downtown business district’s main thoroughfare from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Carole Babish, president of the Jeannette Business Association, said there will...
Improvements eyed at Flight 93 memorial’s western overlook
Planning and fundraising for a new facet of the Flight 93 National Memorial is underway as nonprofit group plans to enhance the western overlook, the spot where families got their first glimpse of the Sept. 11, 2001 crash site. Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial executive director Donna Gibson said...
Mt. Pleasant man charged after incident in Westmoreland County courtroom
A man accused of incidents involving two nurses at the Westmoreland County Prison was charged Monday after a woman was injured when he “thrusted himself” at his attorney in a courtroom, according to court papers. Joe Paul Biller, 37, of Mt. Pleasant, is facing a charge of simple assault. Westmoreland...
State police seek help to find man last seen in Herminie
State police are looking for a man who was last seen in Herminie Sept. 7. Aaron D. Ross, 43, frequents the Jeannette area, according to information released Tuesday by troopers. He was last seen wearing a red/orange shirt, denim blue jeans and black sneakers. He stands 5 feet, 10 inches...
Mt. Pleasant man accused of another assault of nurse at jail
A man being held at the Westmoreland County Prison was arraigned Thursday for assaulting a nurse at the jail, the second accused incident in as many weeks involving a nurse, according to court papers. Joe Paul Biller, 37, of Mt. Pleasant is charged with aggravated assault and simple assault. County...
Landowners to receive $5.5M to settle suit over oil, gas rights in Fayette County
About 60 Fayette County landowners who signed leases for oil and gas rights 14 years ago will receive a combined $5.5 million in a settlement reached with a drilling company. The settlement calls for Chief Exploration and Development, now known as Cyprus Exploration and Development, to pay the landowners for...
Glassport man accused of selling guns stolen from North Huntingdon home
A Glassport man accused by police of selling several guns stolen from a North Huntingdon home was arraigned Wednesday on theft charges. John S. Hudak, 47, took photographs of the guns and communicated with potential buyers through Facebook messages, according to court papers. Police believe 13 handguns and long guns...
Pedestrian hurt after being hit on Route 982 in Derry Township
A woman was flown by medical helicopter Tuesday afternoon to a Pittsburgh hospital after apparently being hit by a vehicle in Derry Township, according to Bradenville Fire Chief Mark Piantine. The incident happened after 2:30 p.m. on Route 982 near a storage facility and cemetery, just before Industrial Boulevard. Piantine...
Gun found at Pittsburgh International checkpoint; no charges expected
Allegheny County Police said they do not expect to file charges against a 30-year-old Armstrong County man whose handgun was found in a duffel bag Wednesday at Pittsburgh International Airport. Police said Transportation Security Administration officers spotted the gun at the main security checkpoint at 3:30 a.m. Police determined that...
