Sheriff sues regatta organizer over $ 33,000 in unpaid bills

The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office is taking legal action against the organizer of the EQT Three Rivers Regatta, seeking more than $ 30,000 owed to the agency for security provided during Fourth of July celebrations at Point State Park and the annual three- day regatta.

The sheriff’s office is suing Pittsburgh- based LionHeart Event Group LLC for a total of $ 32,978 after invoices went unpaid for both the 2018 EQT Flashes of Freedom Celebrate America July 4th fireworks display and the EQT Three Rivers Regatta last August, according to the complaint, filed Wednesday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. The sheriff’s office staffed deputies at both events last summer.

“ACSO has repeatedly contacted Defendant for payment most recently transmitting a written request for payment June 3, 2019,” the lawsuit said.

Sheriff’s office staff also contacted LionHeart President Derek Weber via phone, and he “verbally assured that the payment was forthcoming, that the lack of payment was an ‘ oversight’ and that payment would be made as [ LionHeart] desired that ACSO would provide services again for the 2019 Three Rivers Regatta,” the lawsuit continued.

The regatta board announced Tuesday that the event, scheduled for this weekend, had been canceled because LionHeart had

failed to purchase liability insurance and secure a city permit, requirements to hold the event on state park land.

The sheriff’s office said separately that it hadn’t intended to provide deputies for this year’s regatta because of the outstanding bill.

In another development, Pittsburgh Public Safety officials plan to launch a criminal investigation “into LionHeart and their dealings with the regatta and the city,” including $ 28,000 owed to the city’s Bureau of Police for services provided at the 2017 and 2018 regattas, said public safety spokesman Chris Togneri.

Mr. Togneri would not specify how many detectives will be devoted to the inquiry and said the department would not comment further because the matter “is now an active ongoing investigation, and to protect the integrity of the investigation, we will not be discussing it.”

Mr. Weber has not returned calls seeking comment.