Local father’s quick thinking leads to arrest of man accused of trying to lure 2 teenage girls

Two local teenage girls experienced a terrifying situation when police say a man tried to lure them into his truck at a park in Perryopolis.

The incident happened Thursday night in the parking lot at Witsett Park.

Police arrested Antonio Steaman and say he tried to lure a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old girl into his truck. The teens were with a toddler heading towards the playground and reportedly told police Steadman asked them to get in his truck and go to the store. He allegedly told one teen she could drive his truck and he would sit in the backseat.

The girls told police that Steadman began beeping his horn repeatedly.

Police say the father of one of the girls helped lead to the arrest after he heard the commotion and came to the rescue. He got the license plate number on the truck and Steadman was arrested a short time later, just a block away.

Neighbor Yvonne Diggs was walking at the park on Friday during the lunch break and said the charges surprised her for many reasons, but she knows the man arrested and did not think he would do something like this.

“You never know what to believe, the truth will prevail. So, sorry to hear what happened. Just hope everything is okay,” said Diggs.

Police say Steadman was intoxicated and his truck smelled strongly of alcohol. According to the criminal complaint, he said he was going to kill the trooper and the trooper’s family, rape, kidnap and burglarize the trooper’s home and offered $50,000 to be let out of the police cruiser.

Steadman is currently being held in the Fayette County Jail.

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