Ellwood City man arrested for DUI, fleeing charges after crashing SUV into building on South Side
Aug. 29—Police say a drunken Ellwood city man crashed his car into a Port Authority bus, hit a utility pole head-on, and then fled through Pittsburgh's South Side, hitting several cars before crashing his car more than halfway into a building.
Despite the trail of damage, police said no one was injured.
Tyler McDonough, 23, was arrested by Port Authority police and charged with DUI, eluding police and multiple other criminal and traffic violations, authorities said.
Police reported they were dispatched to Wharton Square bus layover area on the South Side about 11:40 p.m. Friday for a report of a wreck involving a Port Authority bus and a car.
While en route, dispatch advised officers that the bus driver was reporting a man in the crashed SUV was slumped over the wheel and possibly under the influence, reports said.
As police arrived, the man attempted to flee, said authority spokesman Adam Brandolph. He accelerated around the bus and struck a telephone pole head-on, police said.
Police allege McDonough then put his car in reverse, continued on the sidewalk and fled inbound on Wharton. Officers activated their sirens and attempted to catch the vehicle, police reported.
It was then that McDonough went through two stop signs at Wharton at 19th and Wharton at 18th, struck multiple vehicles and crashed into a building at 44 S. 17th Street, Brandolph said.
Officers then ordered McDonough out of the car.
As officers were attempting to recover insurance information, they saw a full ammunition magazine and two unopened beer cars inside the vehicle, according to police reports. Police said that early Saturday, officers executed a search warrant for the vehicle and discovered a handgun in the rear and one magazine with ammunition in the glove box that were seized as evidence.
McDonough was not immediately charged with any firearm violations.
In all, McDonough is charged with criminal mischief, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, accidents involving damage to attended property, DUI, driving on a sidewalk and two counts each of recklessly endangering another person and not obeying stop signs.
After a forensic blood draw at UPMC Mercy hospital, McDonough was transported to the Allegheny County Jail, police reported.
Brady Lutsko, who lives nearby the crash scene along Wharton Street, was alarmed by the crash in the middle of a residential section that is densely populated area.
He described the area as "great place to live."
"I've owned my home here for 13 years and love the diversity of the neighborhood, easy access to the riverfront park and trail a block away and the grocery store, post office, library, and dozens of shops and restaurants within a few blocks' walk," he said.
Lutsko complained that neither state lawmakers in Harrisburg or city officials have not enacted liquor laws that would "hold few problematic bars accountable for what occurs on East Carson Street between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings."
It was not clear where McDonough had come from before the incident started.
Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .
