Valley News Dispatch

New Kensington police accuse man of trying to pull loaded gun on officer during traffic stop

Tony LaRussa
By Tony LaRussa
3 Min Read June 19, 2023 | 3 years Ago
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New Kensington police accused a Pittsburgh man of reaching for a loaded gun when the car he was riding in was pulled over for a traffic stop and of trying to flee when officers tried to arrest him.

The New Kensington woman who was driving the car, who had an arrest warrant, was charged with trying to help her passenger get away and for having cocaine in the vehicle, police said.

Aaron Lamont Camp, 29, of the 600 block of Kirkpatrick Street in Pittsburgh’s Hill District was charged with felony counts of receiving stolen property and escape along with counts of carrying a loaded weapon, resisting arrest and drug possession.

Camp was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond, according to court records. A preliminary hearing before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. is scheduled for June 29.

Casey D. Wright, 26, of the 1100 block of Fifth Avenue was charged with a felony count of facilitating escape along with counts of resisting arrest and drug possession. She also was issued a traffic citation.

Wright also was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $75,000 cash bond. Her preliminary hearing before Pallone also is scheduled for June 29.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint charging Wright that officers were doing traffic enforcement near Seventh Street and Constitution Boulevard shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, when they pulled over the Nissan Altima she was driving because it had a burned-out license plate bulb and heavily tinted windows.

A knotted baggie of suspected cocaine was in the cupholder, and there was a strong odor of burned marijuana, police said. Neither Camp or Wright have a medical marijuana card, they said.

Police said Camp became confrontational and repeatedly questioned officers about why they were being pulled over.

They said he began “stuffing” his hand between the seat and center console before getting out of the car and walking away.

An officer saw a baggie of white powder sticking out of Camp’s pocket and tried to take him into custody, but he pushed away and fled. He was arrested several blocks away a short time later with the drugs in his pocket, the complaint said.

When police searched the car, they confiscated the cocaine in the cupholder and a loaded Sig Saur 9 mm pistol between the console and the seat where Camp was seated. The gun had been reported stolen.

Police accused Wright — who was at the scene in handcuffs — with fleeing while officers were trying to take Camp into custody.

Officers searched the area for nearly an hour before they found her near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 11th Street, still wearing the handcuffs.

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About the Writers

Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.

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