(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. 

(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.

(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. 

(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.

BEAVER COUNTY RADIO

PITTSBURGH — For the first time in more than 50 years, well-known music producer and promoter Rich Engler is hosting a one-of-a-kind auction event. This extraordinary collection features more than 40 autographed guitars signed by some of music’s biggest stars including Kiss, AC/DC and Bon Jovi along with a wide range of rare sports memorabilia.

Highlights of the sports items include items connected to legends such as Arnold Palmer, Hank Aaron, Jack Ham, Lynn Swann and many others.

In total, the auction includes over 40 pieces of significant sports memorabilia. To browse or place bids now through May 2 for both the guitars and the sports collection, visit billarnold.hibid.com.

In addition to the online auction, fans also can attend the “Final Bidding Party” on May 2 at The Distillery Complex at 59 South Second Street, overlooking the Monongahela River near Station Square. This event is in cooperation with Fuzion Entertainment and the
Distillery Complex. Come and be part of the live auction process or just enjoy seeing all the memorabilia on display. Admission is free.  As part of this
event, everyone through the door at the Distillery will have the chance to win a special
limited edition collectible from the famed rock band Kansas. Three of these special collectables will be given out every 45 minutes, climaxing with a final framed one from the band.

As part of last weekend’s the NFL Draft Experience, Engler had his guitars displayed for the public to stop in and see at Fifth Avenue Place in downtown Pittsburgh.

Engler discussed the guitars and sports memorabilia, and shared tales from his days as a Pittsburgh concert promoter when appearing Tuesday on the Beaver County Radio Morning Show.

Here is Engler’s interview:

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Armstrong County, PA) A woman died and three others were injured in a shooting at a bar in Armstrong County, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Troopers said they were called shortly after 1:15 a.m. Sunday to Niki’s Quick Six on First Street in Parks Township for reports of shots fired. A local officer who arrived first found one woman dead and multiple people with gunshot wounds, according to a state police report.

The victim was identified as 34-year-old Jessica Hilliard of Apollo. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another victim, 24-year-old Rebecca Boston of McIntyre, was found at the scene and was listed in critical condition. Two others — 34-year-old Hector Saballos of Vandergrift and 25-year-old Dominik Dellach of Vandergrift — left before troopers arrived and were later listed in stable condition, police said.

State police identified the suspect as 36-year-old David Dunmire of Vandergrift. He remained at the scene and was taken into custody without incident.

Investigators said a physical altercation broke out in the parking lot before Dunmire allegedly pulled out a firearm and fired multiple rounds, striking several people.

Police said they consulted with Armstrong County District Attorney Katie Charlton, who approved a criminal homicide charge. The investigation is ongoing.

(File Photo of the Sewickley Bridge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Sewickley, PA) The biennial Sewickley House Tour will take place May 1 and 2 in Sewickley.

The tour offers visitors a chance to see distinctive homes not typically open to the public, including properties featuring rare ballroom spaces.

Proceeds from the event benefit children’s charities that provide services such as food assistance, health care and access to opportunities like summer camp.

You can purchase tickets for this event by clicking here.

(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 while President Donald Trump 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. Court papers laying out the charges were not immediately available, though authorities have said Allen will face charges including assault on a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence. 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.

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.