2 officers injured in South Side incident

Police say crowd was large, unruly

Two Pittsburgh police officers were hurt and two men were arrested after crowds overtook East Carson Street in the South Side early Sunday.

Multiple police units responded to “large and unruly crowds that flooded into the street” between the 1500 and 1700 blocks of East Carson Street around 2: 15 a. m., according to a Pittsburgh police news release.

The incident started when crowds leaving nearby clubs gathered to watch a fight, according to Cara Cruz, police spokeswoman.

Traffic was halted, and the crowd was “surrounding any vehicle that was in the street,” the release said.

One driver ran over an officer’s foot as he was writing a traffic citation. Another officer injured a knee as he tried to assist. Both were taken to UPMC Mercy in stable condition.

Police arrested Tarin Smith, 23, of Ocean, N. J., on aggravated assault, reckless driving and other charges. They also arrested Eric James, 23, of Westerville, Ohio, for failing to disperse, resisting arrest and obstruction.

In a criminal complaint filed Sunday, police alleged that Mr. Smith was illegally parked at an angle on East Carson Street, “creating a hazard to vehicles which were attempting to go around him.”

When an officer went to ask Mr. Smith to move, he ignored requests to roll down his window and then backed over the officer’s left foot when the officer began writing a citation.

Mr. James was arrested after he repeatedly approached officers in the midst of arresting Mr. Smith, according to the complaint.

Rebecca D’Amico, a passenger in Mr. Smith’s car, was handcuffed after ignoring orders by police to back away from their “altercation” with Mr. Smith. She was released on the scene and will be cited for summary offenses, according to the complaint.

Police formed a skirmish line to move the crowd, which dispersed just before 3 a. m.