Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 113
Derry Township man to serve at least 8 years in jail for drug overdose death
A Derry Township man will serve at least eight years in prison for his role in the overdose death of a friend in early 2017. Eric B. Vogel Jr., 31, pleaded guilty in September to a charge of drug delivery resulting in death in connection with the overdose of 29-year-old...
Jeannette man gets 10 years probation for his brother’s overdose death
A Jeannette man will serve 10 years on probation for selling the drugs his younger brother used before he died of an overdose nearly three years ago. Markus McGowan, 32, was facing a potential 10-year prison term but, following testimony from his mother and a family friend, a Westmoreland County...
South Greensburg’s former secretary admits to stealing from elderly father to repay borough
In an attempt to avoid going to jail and repay money he embezzled from South Greensburg accounts, a former borough secretary stole more than $60,000 from his elderly father and then lied about it in court. On Monday, a contrite Dennis Lee Kunkle Jr. stood in a downtown courtroom and...
Former Leechburg police chief jailed again, accused of accessing porn website
A former Leechburg police chief — who was fired and prosecuted for seeking sex from what he thought was an underage girl — used his cellphone while meeting with a probation officer to access a website devoted to fetishes, bondage and sadomasochism, state investigators said in court. In doing so,...
Westmoreland County cashier resigns after being charged with bringing drugs into courthouseVideo
Westmoreland County’s Park Police typically arrest a person or two every month for bringing illegal drugs in to the downtown Greensburg courthouse. A recent arrest was the first time in recent memory that a county employee was the person who was charged, Chief Henry Fontana said Friday. “Everybody is subject...
Greensburg serial rapist loses appeal of 100-year prison sentence
A Greensburg man in prison for raping a teen-aged boy lost a legal appeal claiming his potential century-long sentence was excessive. Kenneth Richie, 64, pleaded guilty in 2013 to nine counts, including rape, in connection with sexual assaults against a 15-year-old boy in April 2011. Greensburg police said Richie developed...
Appeal denied for Donora man found guilty of assaulting pregnant girlfriend
A Westmoreland County judge on Thursday denied the appeal of a Donora man convicted earlier this year in a brutal assault against his pregnant girlfriend. In a 23-page opinion, Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway ruled there was no basis for the appeal filed by Travis Magash, who was convicted...
Woman sentenced in Greensburg torture slaying pleads for clemency
The Greensburg woman who testified against her roommates in connection with the 2010 torture slaying of a mentally disabled friend has applied for clemency, saying she wants to rejoin society. Amber Meidinger, 29, filed paperwork last month with the state’s Board of Pardons, seeking early termination of her 40- to...
Father of convicted cop killer has trial on intimidation charge delayed until February
The witness intimidation trial of the father of the Harrison man convicted of the murder of New Kensington police officer Brian Shaw has been delayed until February to allow the defense to investigate claims of new evidence. Just before a jury was to be selected to hear his case on...
Jury finds Youngwood man not guilty of serious assault charges
A Youngwood man was found not guilty Wednesday of all serious felony charges filed against him after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in two separate attacks two years ago. Charles R. Agger Jr., who served as his own lawyer during the two-day trial, claimed he acted in self-defense....
Board certifies local election results in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County’s board of elections on Wednesday issued a final certification of results from last month’s municipal balloting. The board made official the results from township supervisor, borough and city councils, mayors and other municipal races, according to Elections Bureau Director Beth Lechman. Elections officials last week certified the results...
Trial begins for Youngwood man accused of twice attacking girlfriend
Renee Scott said she thought her life was about to end as she struggled but failed to pull away from her boyfriend as he sat atop her and clasped both hands around her throat. “I thought this was it. I couldn’t even fight. He was too overbearing on me,” Scott...
Penn Hills man described by police as ‘one-man crime spree’ gets 5 years in prison
A Penn Hills man will serve at least five years in prison for two incidents described by Westmoreland County prosecutors as “strikingly similar” to one in which a New Kensington police officer was shot and killed two years ago. Brandon M. Jeter, 20, pleaded guilty Monday to firearms offenses and...
Derry Township man pleads to drug charge in friend’s overdose death
A Derry Township man pleaded guilty Monday to selling doses of fentanyl-laced heroin blamed for the fatal overdose two years ago of his friend in a Greensburg apartment. Westmoreland County prosecutors charged Glenn A. Levtzow with drug delivery resulting in death and child endangerment in connection with the Nov. 18,...
Former Franklin Regional student pleads guilty in 2016 cyber attack case
A former Franklin Regional High School student pleaded guilty Monday to launching a cyber attack on the school’s computer network that disrupted servers at more than a dozen other local school districts and government offices. Police said Michaela G. King, 21, of Murrysville, was a high school senior in November...
Charges dropped against key witness who testified against convicted police killer Rahmael HoltVideo
Prosecutors on Monday dropped criminal charges against a man they said provided key testimony against convicted cop killer Rahmael Sal Holt, just weeks after insisting no deal had been promised for his cooperation. Tavon Harper, 29, had been in custody since his arrest following the November 2017 fatal shooting of...
Westmoreland native tapped to lead county lawyers association
Alahna O’Brien was one of more than 50 people who last summer submitted resumes to replace the Westmoreland Bar Association’s retiring executive director. “When she came into the room, we knew. What stood out is her energy and her people skills,” Joyce Novotny-Prettiman, president of the bar association board, said...
Jeannette residents say they still support Terrelle Pryor despite domestic fight, arrest
Jeannette was where Terrelle Pryor first became a football star. The day after news of his serious wounding during a domestic dispute at his Pittsburgh apartment, his hometown fans said they still have his back. “It’s unfortunate, but he’s done a lot of great things for Jeannette,” said Brooke Fornalczyk....
Fire damages Greensburg home; residents get out unharmed
Greensburg officials said a late morning blaze Saturday at a home on South Maple Avenue was caused by an overload of electrical appliances. Both residents of the two-story family home were able to escape the fire, which was reported shortly before noon and was quickly extinguished, Greensburg fire Chief Tom...
Deer hunters like starting rifle season on SaturdayVideo
Michael “MadDog” Maddy said Saturday’s early start to the 2019 deer hunting season was, well, unusual. “There was nobody out there until about 9 a.m.,” Maddy said. For hunters such as Maddy, Saturday marked the first time since 1963 that rifle season for hunters in Pennsylvania started on the Saturday...
Westmoreland election officials draw lots, break ties to decide local racesVideo
Luck was not on the side of Penn Borough Councilman Edgar Grant. Grant was the only candidate who attended the casting of lots at the Westmoreland County Courthouse on Friday to break ties among candidates in a handful of municipal races. Four candidates each received three write-in votes for three...
Westmoreland County opts out of federal settlement against drugmakers, distributors
Westmoreland County wants no part of a tentative multibillion-dollar settlement to resolve opioid cases filed by thousands of local governments across the country. Instead, it will focus on its own legal action against opioid manufacturers and distributors now pending in an eastern Pennsylvania court. Commissioners on Friday formally opted out...
Contract extension helps Westmoreland County gear up to take over bus service next yearVideo
The Westmoreland County Transit Authority and the union that represents bus drivers and maintenance workers this week agreed to a three-month extension of a labor contract to allow the agency to complete the hiring of about 150 employees needed for the takeover of commuter bus and paratransit services starting Jan....
Westmoreland commissioners grapple with 2020 county budget shortfall
Westmoreland County commissioners have not ruled out a property tax increase for 2020. Commissioners unveiled a preliminary budget that continues to spend more money than the county takes in from tax revenue, fees and state and federal allocations. As it stands, the county’s surplus fund would be nearly drained to...
Greensburg, Pittsburgh hospitals sued over baby’s death
A Youngwood couple sued two local hospitals and medical personnel, claiming doctors and nurses failed to properly identify and treat a prenatal condition blamed for their son’s death in late 2017. In a 20-count wrongful death lawsuit, Joanie and Samuel Adams contend an ultrasound performed at UPMC Magee Womens Hospital...
