Two people charged with stealing a car from the Walmart in White Township are due in court today for a preliminary hearing.
34-year-old Michael Antonio Pucciarelli of Pittsburgh is facing charges of attempted aggravated assault, fleeing or eluding police, theft, conspiracy to theft, two counts of criminal mischief and 25 summary driving counts, while 30-year-old Rehny Little of Homestead was also charged with theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy to that charge, and one summary charge. The two are accused of stealing a car from the parking lot of the Oakland Avenue Walmart after finding the key on the dashboard. A trooper found the car on Route 422 heading west.
Several others joined the chase and several PIT maneuvers were employed to try to stop Pucciarelli, one of which turned him around, heading back toward Indiana. A spike strip was deployed near Margaret Road, flattening a tire, but he kept going and after he intentionally hit another pursuing cruiser, he was finally stopped by two police vehicles that pinned him against a guiderail. Police had to use a taser to subdue Pucciarelli.
Pucciarelli has been in Indiana County Jail on $100,000 bail since his arrest, while Little is free on $50,000 bail.
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