Clairton man denied bail in connection with November shooting

A Westmoreland County judge on Thursday refused to set bail for a man accused of shooting a Monroeville police officer during a chase that ended with a crash in Allegheny Township.

Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio said she was persuaded by a long list of past violent cases involving Bruce A. Alvarado, 39, of Clairton, that was read by assistant district attorney Adam Barr.

“You have convinced me, obviously, that Mr. Alvarado is a danger to the community,” she said.

He will remain behind bars without bail in connection with the Nov. 10 shooting. Police attempted to stop a stolen Jeep being driven by Alvarado in Turtle Creek, but authorities said he instead led them on a chase through Monroeville and North Versailles, among other communities.

The Jeep crashed in Allegheny Township on Route 356 near Hyde Park Road. Investigators said Alvarado fired a handgun into a marked Monroeville police cruiser, hitting the officer twice.

Defense attorney Ken Noga argued that Alvarado has a right to have bond set.

“This is not a homicide matter, judge,” he said.

Bond is automatically denied in homicide cases, but judges can use their discretion in other matters. If the judge feels there are no other ways to protect a victim or the community, a defendant can be denied bond in cases that don’t involve homicide charges.

Barr was opposed to the defense request.

“I don’t think you can find a better case than this to deny bond,” he said.

Barr read through a list of violent offenses with which Alvarado has been charged in the past, starting when he was 14 years old. Those cases were in different states and elsewhere in Pennsylvania, as well as filed locally, and Alvarado has talked during recorded jail calls about going to Mexico and Alaska.

“His criminal history is quite honestly riddled with violence,” Barr said.

Alvarado is charged with attempted homicide, reckless endangerment, firearms not to be carried without a license and related offenses. He is awaiting court action in several Allegheny County cases that involve charges such as aggravated assault, theft and resisting arrest.