Paul Peirce stories, Page 45

A Derry woman is accused of physically abusing a 23-month-old toddler and smoking crack cocaine as the child sat in her lap. Crystal N. Steele, 28, was arraigned by Hempfield District Judge Tony Bompiani on charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, harassment, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless...

Hold the chalice. Growing concerns over the spread of flu and the coronavirus forced the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg to rethink its decision regarding restrictions at religious services such as Mass. On Thursday, Bishop Edward C. Malesic announced that he has suspended the distribution of wine during communion and will...

A 36-year-old Indiana County man was charged Wednesday with 26 counts of sexual abuse of children and one count of indecent assault after state troopers say they found multiple still images and one video recording depicting child pornography. Robert Earl Rout III of Indiana was arraigned before Homer City District...

State Rep. Eric Nelson is sponsoring a firearms safety and gun rights seminar March 21 at Word of Life Church in Hempfield. Nelson (R-Hempfield) said the seminar will have multiple speakers discussing the state’s concealed carry laws and the Castle Doctrine. It will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m....

Two women accused of going on a spending spree last month and stealing a Greensburg man’s wallet failed in a bid for redemption, according to city police. Alexis Hudson, 23, of Ford City and Emily Jean Long, 21, of Kittanning are charged with theft, access device fraud and receiving stolen...

The son of a Lower Burrell district judge who is finishing a six-month jail term related to multiple drug offenses had his bid to collect unemployment compensation quashed this week by a state appellate court. A three-judge Commonwealth Court panel affirmed the state Unemployment Compensation Board of Review finding that...

Police arrested a woman and confiscated 35 bags of suspected heroin after employees at the East Huntingdon Walmart became suspicious and contacted state troopers Monday. Amanda Skyee Crosby, 26, of Bullskin, Fayette County, is in the Westmoreland County Prison on $35,000 bond on charges of delivery, distribution and possession of...

A 28-year-old Indiana County man is accused of firing two shots from an AR-15 rifle during a several hour standoff with state troopers over the weekend before he surrendered, according to state police. Jacob M. Bloomberg was arraigned on charges of illegal possession of prohibited offensive weapon, reckless endangerment, terroristic...

A Hempfield man is accused of kicking and punching state troopers called to break up a fight outside a Mt. Pleasant Road home Sunday night. John P. Henigan, 26, was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, harassment, resisting arrest and simple assault after troopers Robert Dietz, Troy Faulk...

A 36-year-old Youngwood man was arrested Wednesday on charges of providing the heroin that killed his girlfriend almost a year ago. Christopher P. Showalter was arraigned on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of a controlled substance...

The arrests of three people in Murrysville this week may help solve multiple crimes in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. Murrysville police searched a Wiestertown Road home, where they seized a quantity of crystal methamphetamine, smoking pipes, digital scales, a stolen handgun and multiple other stolen items, according to court papers....

A Somerset County woman convicted of keeping a deceased relative’s Social Security benefit payments for 21 years was sentenced this week to pay $251,000 in restitution and serve one day in jail. U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson also sentenced Donalee Harvey, 73, of Meyersdale, to three years of supervised...

A former Indiana County firefighter arrested last fall in connection with three arson fires was arrested again Wednesday along with his father on charges of intimidating witnesses in the case. State police in Indiana and the state police fire marshal’s office in Punxsutawney said charges of intimidating a witness and...

The arrests of three people in Murrysville this week may help solve multiple crimes in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. Murrysville police searched a Wiestertown Road home, where they seized a quantity of crystal methamphetamine, smoking pipes, digital scales, a stolen handgun and multiple other stolen items, according to court papers....

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is accepting public comment through Thursday on six proposals, including one that would replace the existing Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County with a $332 million-plus “cut” and bypass across the Allegheny Ridge. The commission and representatives from engineering consultant L.R. Kimball in Ebensburg recently held an open...

A 9-year-old Unity boy reported that he was locked inside a screwed-shut closet Sunday so two adults could attend a relative’s birthday party, state police reported. It wasn’t the first time, he told authorities. The Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau alerted state police after receiving a phone tip that the boy...

A 41-year-old Sutersville man already accused of raping two Westmoreland County children was arrested last week on multiple charges of raping a 5-year-old in Allegheny County in 2011. Ronald E. Styche III was arraigned Wednesday before Coraopolis District Judge Michele Santicola on multiple charges of rape, aggravated indecent assault, endangering...

An 18-week maintenance project at the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Tuscarora Tunnel in Franklin County is expected to impact motorists beginning Sunday night, according to turnpike officials. The weekly tunnel closure will occur at 9 p.m. Sundays, weather permitting, and continue until noon on Fridays, said turnpike spokeswoman Roseanne Placey. The weekly...

A man accused of assaulting a 41-year-old man in his Mt. Pleasant home Monday was jailed Wednesday after he was accused of calling and threatening to harm him. Roger C. Strautmann, 30, of Greensburg. was arraigned Wednesday on two counts of intimidating a witness and single counts of simple assault,...

A man awaiting trial for burglary and impersonating a firefighter was arrested again Wednesday in Salem Township after a break-in at a senior citizen recreation center. Charles J. Beiter, 33, was arraigned Thursday on charges of disorderly conduct, illegally trespassing, loitering, theft and possession of marijuana filed by state police...