Author: Beaver County Radio

Investigation underway after incident involving “suspicious” man on Montour Trail

(File Photo: Caption for Photo:  police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Bethel Park, PA) Police are investigating an incident involving a suspicious man on the Montour Trail. 

The Bethel Park Police Department said officers were called to the trail near Limestone Drive around 8 p.m. Friday after a woman reported an encounter. 

Investigators said the man, believed to be between 18 and 22 years old, approached the woman, commented on her appearance and reached toward her arm. The woman’s dog lunged at the man, who then ran down the trail toward Peters Township. 

A bystander witnessed the incident and stayed with the woman until officers arrived. 

Police described the man as about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 135 pounds, with medium-length black hair and a light brown skin tone. He was wearing a grayish-white shirt, tan shorts and possibly clear glasses. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Bethel Park Police Department at 412-833-2000. 

Pittsburgh-area agency files federal lawsuit alleging its funding was unfairly cut

(File Photo of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A Pittsburgh-area agency that provides services to survivors of domestic violence has filed a federal lawsuit alleging its funding was unfairly cut. 

Crisis Center North said it has received funding for more than 40 years from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a nonprofit that distributes grant funding on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. 

In the lawsuit, the center alleges the coalition imposed unnecessary and inefficient requirements for financial reporting. The center said it provided the required information but not in the specific format requested. 

Pittsburgh-area police officer facing charges in Florida following an alleged domestic incident

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A Pittsburgh-area police officer is facing charges in Sumter County, Florida following an alleged domestic incident, according to an arrest affidavit. 

Investigators said Officer Manuel Pihakis of the Reserve Township Police Department is accused of biting his girlfriend during an altercation at a hotel. Authorities said a second incident occurred hours later at a private residence. 

According to the affidavit, Pihakis is accused of striking the victim in the back of the head with an open hand, knocking her to the floor. 

He was charged with simple battery and domestic violence, taken to jail and later released on bail. Police said he has been placed on administrative leave. 

KDKA-TV reported that an internal report from February described Pihakis as appearing intoxicated while off-duty inside the police station, citing observations of slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. 

Man gets month in jail for Pennsylvania voter registration quotas in 2024 presidential race

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Voting booths are set up at a polling place in Newtown, Pa., Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man who managed problem-plagued voter registration drives in Pennsylvania ahead of the 2024 presidential election pleaded guilty Monday to three misdemeanor counts and was sentenced to a month in county jail.

Phoenix resident Guillermo Sainz Gurrola was also fined $1,000 and will serve probation for three counts of solicitation of registration, which prosecutors described as offering financial incentives to canvassers who met quotas.

The attorney general’s office said charges of forgery, unsworn falsification, public records tampering and violations of state elections and voter registration laws remain pending against six canvassers. One is also facing an identity theft charge.

Sainz Gurrola’s defense attorney, Timothy M. Stengel, declined comment but said his client apologized in court. Authorities had previously identified him as Guillermo Sainz, but Stengel and the online court docket gave his name as Guillermo Sainz Gurrola.

Stengel said the plea on Monday involved registration drives in Lancaster, Berks and York counties.

In a court affidavit filed with the criminal charges, investigators said Sainz Gurrola, an employee of Field+Media Corps, “instituted unlawful financial incentives and pressures in his push to meet company goals to maintain funding which in turn spurred some canvassers to create and submit fake forms to earn more money.”

Field+Media was funded by Everybody Votes, which has worked to improve voter registration rates in communities of color. The court affidavit said Everybody Votes had fully cooperated with the investigation and that its contract with Field+Media prohibited payments on a per-registration basis.

Sainz Gurrola managed Pennsylvania operations from May to October 2024.

The investigation began in the weeks before the general election when election workers in Lancaster County flagged voter registration forms for potential fraud. Investigators said they appeared to contain false names, suspicious handwriting, questionable signatures, incorrect addresses and other problematic details.

In the homestretch of the presidential contest, then-candidate Donald Trump seized on the case, declaring there had been “cheating” involving “2,600” votes. The actual issue in Lancaster was about 2,500 suspected fraudulent voter registration forms, not ballots or votes.

Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A Pittsburgh woman who pleaded guilty to federal charges related to child sexual abuse material was sentenced yesterday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Officials said 32-year-old Marissa Lynn Segal was sentenced to 7½ years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay approximately $13,000 in restitution. 

Prosecutors said Segal distributed and possessed images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. 

According to information presented to the Court, on July 14, 2025, Segal distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors—including photographs and videos of infant victims and victims engaged in acts of bestiality—via a mobile application. 

She pleaded guilty to the charges on Jan. 12. 

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006. 

Steelers use 7 out of their 10 2026 draft picks on offense as they wait for Aaron Rodgers to decide on return

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Navy running back Eli Heidenreich celebrates after being chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 230th overall pick during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t know if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return for his 22nd season in 2026.

If the 42-year-old decides to play, the four-time MVP will lead a team filled with fresh faces on offense. Pittsburgh used seven of its 10 picks in the NFL draft on that side of the ball, starting with offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round and ending it with Navy wide receiver/running back (and Pittsburgh native) Eli Heidenreich in the seventh.

“That’s how the draft sorted itself out,” general manager Omar Khan said. “We trusted our board and trusted our process.”

It’s the first time since 1976 that the Steelers drafted six offensive players among their first seven picks.

In addition to Iheanachor and Heidenreich, Pittsburgh chose Iowa guard Gennings Dunker, Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.

“It was very refreshing to see need hit value,” first-year Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said.

Trying again to find a young QB who’ll stick

The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Allar was once projected as a first-round pick, but has things he needs to clean up as he transitions to the NFL.

Allar helped Penn State to a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, but the Nittany Lions struggled against higher-caliber competition during his career, going 0-6 against Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and Notre Dame.

Allar enters a quarterback room that already includes Ohio State’s Will Howard, taken in the sixth round last year. Howard suffered a hand injury in training camp and spent the first two months of the season on injured reserve.

The addition of Allar represents Pittsburgh’s latest attempt to find a young quarterback it hopes can become a franchise cornerstone, something it has lacked since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2022. Pittsburgh swung and missed on Kenny Pickett four years ago, while Howard remains a work in progress.

McCarthy said the addition of Allar won’t have any impact on the team’s willingness to bring back Rodgers, who guided the Steelers to the AFC North title in his first year with Pittsburgh.

“It’s about training the room together,” McCarthy said. “It’s great to have two really young guys that I’m extremely excited about.”

Bernard brings versatility

The Steelers hope Bernard can be a versatile complement to veterans DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.

The Steelers traded up to pick Bernard, Alabama’s leading receiver in each of the last two seasons. He has inside-outside position flexibility that McCarthy covets, and he caught 114 passes for 1,656 yards and nine touchdowns at Alabama with just three drops.

The Steelers acquired Pittman in March to play alongside Metcalf, who faced frequent double-teams last season.

Helping the return game

The Steelers addressed their return game in the fourth round when they picked Iowa wide receiver Kaden Wetjen.

Pittsburgh last scored a touchdown on a kickoff return on Dec. 31, 2017, against Cleveland. The Steelers’ last punt return for a score came against the New York Giants on Oct. 28, 2024.

Wetjen, an All-America returner as a senior, led the nation in punt return average. He has six career return touchdowns, including three punts and a kickoff last season.

This is the second straight year the Steelers drafted a pair of Iowa players. There are seven former Iowa players on the roster.

Heidenreich is a hometown hero

With the Steel City hosting the draft, the Steelers used their final pick to give Heidenreich an unexpected homecoming.

A native of Pittsburgh’s Mount Lebanon neighborhood, Heindenreich called the moment he walked from the green room in full Navy uniform onto the draft stage the greatest moment of his life.

“This is the greatest city in the world with the greatest people in the world,” he said. “I couldn’t be any happier.”

Heidenreich, who set the Navy record for receiving yards, hugged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and former Steelers safety Will Allen before promising to help the Steelers win a seventh Super Bowl.

What’s next

The Steelers also picked Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette (third round), Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski (fifth), Notre Dame defensive tackle Gabe Rubio (sixth) and Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings (seventh).

The players will report for rookie camp early next month before Pittsburgh’s veterans join for organized team activities later in May.

Cardinals get consecutive HRs, 2-run double in 9th and top Pirates 4-2 after being no-hit into 7th

(File Photo: Source for Photo: St. Louis Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt (26) celebrates with Iván Herrera (48) on his way back to the dugout after his home run off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana in the ninth inning of a baseball game, in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jose Fermin hit a tiebreaking two-run double after Pedro Pages and JJ Wetherholt hit consecutive homers — all in the ninth inning — as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 Monday night after breaking up a perfect game bid in the seventh inning.

With the Pirates leading 2-0, four Pittsburgh pitchers combined to shut down the Cardinals through 6 2/3 innings before Alec Burleson legged out a two-out, infield single off Evan Sisk in the seventh.

Pages’ and Wetherholt’s home runs off Dennis Santana (2-2) lifted the Cardinals into a 2-all tie before Fermin’s double into the left-field corner scored Victor Scott II and Burleson, giving St. Louis a 4-2 lead.

Ryan Fernandez (1-0) earned the win and George Soriano got a ground out, strikeout and, after a single by Nick Gonzales, a fly out for his first save as the Cardinals snapped a four-game skid.

Pittsburgh opener Mason Montgomery and Justin Lawrence each pitched an inning and Wilber Dotel worked the next four, striking out three. Sisk pitched two-thirds of an inning before he replaced by Isaac Mattson after allowing the Cardinals’ first hit. The Pirates carried their two-run lead into the ninth before Santana blew the save.

The Pirates scored one run in each of the first two innings on RBI singles by Ryan O’Hearn and Jake Mangum off Dustin May In six innings, May allowed two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Burleson and Fermin had two hits apiece for St. Louis. The Pirates got two hits each from Gonzales and Mangum.

Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz was a late scratch because of illness.

Up next

Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA) is expected to face Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.43) on Tuesday night.

Penguins fend off elimination again with a 3-2 Game 5 win over Flyers to send series back to Philadelphia

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Elmer Soderblom (25) celebrates with Ben Kindel (81) and Anthony Mantha (39) after scoring against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period of Game 5 in the first round of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Connor Dewar, Kris Letang and Elmer Soderblom scored and the Pittsburgh Penguins avoided elimination for the second time in 48 hours with a 3-2 win over Philadelphia in Game 5 of their first-round series on Monday night.

Sidney Crosby shook off a shot to his left knee to add two assists for the Penguins, who cut the Flyers’ lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.

Game 6 is Wednesday in Philadelphia, where the pressure will be on the Flyers to avoid putting themselves in danger of becoming just the fifth team in NHL history to blow a series after winning the first three games.

“We know it’s a big challenge going into there,” Crosby said. “But I think we have a lot of belief in our group, and we’ve done it time and time again.”

Alex Bump scored in his playoff debut for Philadelphia, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie it on Travis Sanheim’s second goal of the series 15:06 into the second.

Crosby, who limped to the bench and then to the training room for treatment minutes earlier after a blast from the point by teammate Ryan Shea appeared to hit the top of his left knee, helped put the Penguins back in front just over two minutes later when he fed the puck to Letang at the top of the Philadelphia zone.

Letang sent a shot toward Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar that sailed wide of the net before bouncing back toward Vladar. The puck smacked off Vladar’s left pad, then his right and across the goal line to give Pittsburgh the lead for good.

“Bounces are part of the game,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “But I think you earn them when you’re working and you try to do the right things. That’s usually when the bounces go your way.”

After four games of mostly low-event hockey, Game 5 started with a frantic pace, a style that favors the Penguins, who finished as the NHL’s third-highest-scoring team during the regular season.

That offense went largely missing while Pittsburgh fell into a 3-0 hole. Pushed to the brink, it has returned with a flourish, and this time it wasn’t just Crosby, Letang and Evgeni Malkin shouldering the burden.

Soderblom’s first goal of the playoffs and Dewar’s second gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead in the second period. Philadelphia responded behind Bump and Sanheim, but Letang’s fluky score late in the second was the difference.

Pittsburgh will take the ice on Wednesday, having all the momentum after two games in which they looked like the resilient, resourceful group that was among the NHL’s biggest surprises.

The Flyers and their late playoff surge were one of the others, though Philadelphia and its talented young core will have the difficult task of finishing off a more experienced group with Hall of Famers scattered across the roster.

“They are a veteran team, they know what it takes to win,” Vladar said. “We are still a young team. We’ve got to learn that. We’ve got to bounce back. Still try to play our game, not their game.”

Therman W. Wallace, Jr. (2016-2026)

Therman W. Wallace, Jr., 9, of Rochester, formerly of Arkansas, passed away on April 24th, 2026. He was born in Magnolia, Arkansas on June 15th, 2016, a son of Therman W., Sr., and Alicia M. Belanger Wallace. In addition to his parents, he is survived by three brothers, Cody, Alex and Austin, four sisters: Mia, Savannah, Alyssa and Ali; as well as his maternal grandparents, Lisa and Charles Hartman, paternal grandmother, Jammie Johnson and paternal grandfather’s, Thomas Johnson and Ricky Wallace, maternal great grandparents, Glenn and Cindy Young, and his buddy, his turtle, Mr. McTurtle, six aunts: Veronica, Krista, Kalynne, Jennifer, Debra and Niki; along with nine uncles: Chris S., Justin, Chris W., Tony, Keith, James, Chris G., Rich and John; as well as numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by a great uncle, George “Tony” Byrnside.

Therman was a student at Rochester Elementary School. He loved Minecraft, Roblox, playing UNO, fishing and riding 4-wheelers and bikes with his brothers and friends. He was very outgoing and made friends everywhere he went. He never knew a stranger as he thought of everyone as a “friend”, leading off by saying , “ Hey Bruh !”.

A Visitation will be on Saturday, May 2nd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 393 Adams Street, Rochester, where a service will take place at 2:30 p.m. with pastor Greg Clagg officiating. Arrangements have been entrusted to the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Therman, please visit our floral store.

The family is asking memorial contributions be made to M.A.D.D. Pennsylvania or The Tanner Dietrich Foundation.

Therman would like everyone to remember, ” Hey Bruh!! ”

On Saturday May 2nd, access to parking for visitation and services for Therman will be at the bottom of Adams Street. See officer(s) nearby posted for any further directions.

Man charged with attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in White House correspondents’ dinner shooting

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Members of law enforcement control shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen during the White House Correspondents Dinner, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man who authorities say tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives has been charged with the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. He appeared in court Monday to face charges in a chaotic encounter that resulted in shots being fired, Trump being rushed off the stage and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.

Cole Tomas Allen was taken into custody after the shooting on Saturday night and is being charged in federal court in Washington. Authorities say an officer wearing a bullet-resistant vest was shot in the vest but is expected to recover.

Allen, of Torrance, California, is being represented by lawyers with the federal defender’s office and sat beside them in court in a blue jail uniform. He also was charged with transport of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce and with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He did not enter a plea.

Prosecutors have not revealed a motive, but in a message reviewed by The Associated Press that authorities say was sent by Allen to family members minutes before the attack, Allen referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” made repeated references to the Republican president without naming him and alluded to grievances over a range of Trump administration actions.

Investigators are treating the writings, along with a trail of social media posts and interviews with family members, as some of the clearest evidence of the suspect’s mindset and possible motives.

Allen, 31, is believed to have traveled by train from California to Chicago and then onto Washington, where he checked himself in as a guest at the hotel where the gala dinner was held with its typically tight security, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

Video posted by Trump shows a man, who authorities say was armed with guns and knives, running past a security barricade as Secret Service agents run toward him.

Records show Allen is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer. A social media profile for a man with the same name and a photo that appears to match that of the suspect show he worked part-time for the last six years at a company that offers admissions counseling and test preparation services to aspiring college students.