Man held for court on charges in connection with Mt. Pleasant area chase

Attempted homicide and related charges were held for further prosecution Friday in connection with a Mt. Pleasant Township chase among three men during which four shots were reportedly fired.

Tony Snyder testified that he was working on a car in the driveway of a Bridgeport Street home at 11 a.m. Dec. 12 when Paul A. Caletri III, 30, and Paul A. Caletri Jr., 70, both of Mt. Pleasant, showed up in separate vehicles. The younger Caletri had a shotgun and threatened to kill him, Snyder said.

The two men met several months earlier and grew to dislike each other, Snyder and Trooper Jason Kinger said.

“There was an ongoing feud between Mr. Snyder and Mr. Caletri over past events,” Kinger said.

Snyder testified that he got into his pickup and drove onto various township roads trying to escape from the father and son but was unsuccessful. Both men rammed his pickup with their vehicles as many as 20 times, he testified, and the younger Caletri fired four shots.

“My glass shattered in my truck,” Snyder testified, adding that he was not hurt.

The chase moved into Mt. Pleasant Borough as Snyder said he intended to go to the police department, but it ended in a crash with the older Caletri.

Kinger testified troopers couldn’t find shell casings.

“(The younger Caletri) said he was trying to shoot out the tires,” Kinger said.

Defense attorney Kevin Chernosky argued prosecutors did not present any evidence to show Caletri was trying to kill Snyder.

“He had no intent to kill,” Chernosky argued.

Snyder said he didn’t call police during the chase because he believed there was a warrant out for his arrest. He did not elaborate during the hearing on the nature of the charges against him.

In addition to attempted homicide, Paul Caletri III is facing charges of aggravated and simple assault, criminal mischief, reckless driving and reckless endangerment. He remains at the Westmoreland County Prison on $250,000 bail.

His father also was charged in the incident with aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. He is is awaiting a pretrial conference next month in his case and is free on his own recognizance.